Lays Coie. icalinnee samen ee lect iceemen oes Serta ne oe o i me - ~ aes _* . “3 ' Tela esschsneerh a ext se ean wean Foon nin yh datiniagae te aba na a ae Se enen ALBERT R. MANN LIBRARY New York STATE COLLEGES OF AGRICULTURE AND HomME ECONOMICS AT CORNELL UNIVERSITY JAMES E. RICE MEMORIAL POULTRY LIBRARY Cornell University Library SF 487.W44 NY 3 1924 003 184 110 mann Cornell University Library The original of this book is in the Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://www. archive.org/details/cu31924003184110 “GTUVANVIS FHL LAS LVHL LSAN dVal dHL ‘106 ‘YQYNVD NI “0062 "S “1 NI GALNALVd "+ * SUMO JWO2T[9M "IW }eYy}. SsayeU Jayjo Jo s}sou 9a]suIs uvy} ssat 3S09 30] aimjua auf ‘sivad OM JO} asn }Uu}SUOD ul uaaq aavy ey} ued SIq} Ul S}sau Ud} a1e ayy ‘asm: jenqoe ul SLSHN dVadl TVAAI Jo udessojoyd WO1J SI dUO}-JyeY STY Che Crap West Cert Book By F. O. Wellcome Copyright 1902, by F. O. Wellcome All rigbts reserved. -w “Unreasoning acceptance is the most baleful hindrance to reform. He who believes all that his elders teach, without the consent of his more mod- ern mind, unconsciously admits that the world is at a standstill. Every step ahead in history has been made by those who would not agree with sanctioned dogma. Galileo would not believe the world stood still, Columbus did not believe that it was flat. In spite of sainted mothers and venerable sires, we do not now favor their pet theory.”’ From ‘‘SEARCHING FOR TRUTH.” er 487 Wwe E &520 THIS BOOK IS RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED TO: THE THOUGHTFUL READER. “The advent of Trap Nests has been the means of more good in Poultry culture than any other invention of recent years. They are the only guides to success.”’ Boyer. NOTICE TO EDITORS, PUBLISHERS, AND WRITERS FOR THE POULTRY PRESS. It is the author’s desire that whatever there may be of value in this work should be as widely known to poultry Keepers as is possibly con- sistent with my business interests, | to be the sole judge of that. The original matter, other than that directly connected with the construction of the Ideal nests, is covered by copyright solely to guard against the detestable practice of plagiary that is so common in poultry and other literature and in some poultry supply catalogues. While I should prefer that those who desire to quote from this book ask my permission, I realize that when brief reference is desirable this is not always convenient. In such cases, whether the accompanying opinions are favorable or unfavorable, I respectfully request that credit. be given to The Trap Nest Text Book by F. O. Wellcome. Matter-in this book not original with me and not written expressly for the book is not covered by my copyright. Respectfully, F. O. WELLCOME. The Man Whose Watchword’s “Wait” ROY FARRELL GREENE. 4s From SvuccEsS,'’ USED BY EXPRESS PERMISSION OF THE SUCCESS COMPANY, OWNERS OF COPYRIGHT. “Great deeds’’, said Uncle Hiram, ‘I’ve ob- served, ’tween me ’an you, For every man that does ’em there are ten agoin’ to do; There’s lots 0’ men can sit aroun’ an’ entertain a crowd With how they’re goin’ t’ plant a field they've likely never plowed: Bill Jones was such a feller, ’an I used t’ hear him tell Of ascheme he had fer killin’ weeds that sounded mighty well; Machinery could do the work,—a man need never sweat,— But I find that William has’nt set the world afire yet, “When Simpson’s boy from college came, the fam’ly prophesied, Within a year or two, the world would view him open-eyed. And marvel at the wonders of improvement he’d advance In scientific methods, if he had but half a chance. He stayed around the town awhile an’ worked quite hard, I jinks, At poundin’ little rubber balls o’er what he called ‘the links.’ We've scientific problems still that make pro- fessors fret, But I note young Simpson has’nt set the world afire yet! ‘« An’ so,”’? said Uncle Hiram, ‘‘future action does not count Toward betterin’ of our present state to any great amount; A million ‘goin’-t’-do-its’ wouldn't balance one ‘has-done,’ An’ a pound of ‘right-this-minute’ 's worth ‘to- morrow’s’ half a ton. I’ve noticed in my lifetime scores of fellers, sad to state, Who’d have prospered if they had’nt for their watchword taken ‘Wait;’ Fellers sure to do great wonders ere the next day’s sun had set,— But I’ve noticed none of them has set the world afire yet!’ PREFACE, N this book I want to have a heart-to-heart talk with the Thoughtful Reader. 1 have the advantage that I can talk all of the time and the reader cannot talk back. The reader has the advantage that he can “cut me out’’ at any time, if he become bored. I shall not try to exhaust my subject or vocabulary and do not wish to exhaust the reader. [ am not talking to the novice all of the time, I am talking to the reader whoever he may be. There are some things in this book that I ani sure some people do not want the novice in poultry keeping to know. I do want him to know them. That is the difference. The reader is for the nonce ny friend and I propose to let him in on the ground floor. [f he does not like it he can move out. We poultry raisers are a free-and-easy lot. We can talk glibly on any subject whether we know anything about it or not. (suexsing counts and those who guess the nearest alike guess the oftenest. A plausible guess is contagious and we are now apparently enjoying a sort of guessing epidemic. Down South we don’t guess so much but «I reckon” is the same dixease modified by environment. It saves a great deal of trouble and worry to be able to guess freely and often. ‘Of the making of many books there is no end and much study is a weariness to the flesh.” Guessing saves study. When it causes weariness it is when it makes someone else tired. Guessing promotes economy. Should we suspect that our hens are not as good ax any, we can guess that they are better and so save buying new blood. We never guess that what costs nothing is well worth it for that would not be a practical guess. Guessing courage- ously and without too many unpractical, unbusiness-like scruples will increase our egg vield titty per cent. This form of guessing antedates the flood. It will never be stamped out. It thrives best in warm weather but survives the most frigid cold. If we guess ourselves out of the hen business we can guess about for- mer egg records The longer we keep it up the bigger they grow. If we rupture a heart string, and spend money we can guess that we will be swindled and after the goods come we can guess that we have been; and so it goes, this merry guessing bee. We could not stop it if we would and some of us would not stop it if we could. The reader is beginning to guess now and when he has read this book he will guess again, We simply cannot help it. We have all got the complaint; some have it worse than others, that is all. 6 THE TRAP NEST TEXT BOOK There are several theories touched upon, some of them briefly dis- cussed, in this modest little book. While I regard good theory to be better ‘than bad practice, for any student, still I appreciate that unproven theories should be approached cautiously. The test of time must be applied to every new theory as well as to every old theory that has been brushed up and offered once more. The old veteran will see them through. However firmly I may hold to certain views outlined herein, I do not expect others to wholly or even partially agree with me unless their own convictions will permit. My business interests have not, to my knowledge, had the most remote influence upon my opinions. I think some things that I have written may be opposed to my interests but I rather like to give my pen the right of way and let it go. I am not a mind reader so the man who ‘‘always knew that’? will not be given credit for such of his ‘‘original ideas” as I may have used. I give credit-wherever I know that credit is due and hold the rest in trust for the owner who succeeds in proving his claim. The first per- son singular will be used quite frequently without regard to precedent or contemporary opinion. ‘ There are but one of us and I am he, in this book. Should the reader meet with anything that he does not like, a little skipping will discover something different. Our human nature is such that we applaud what others applaud, or what agrees with our present convictions, and condemn the rest. If we are all right, then poultry knowledge is the most paradoxically mixed up mess of modern times. : My instructions for preparing and using the Ideal Trap Nests and the drawings that illustrate them are as simple and as easily to be understood as [know how to make them. Brevity is said to be the soul of wit but contemporary poultry literature shows that accuracy of statement can be very easily sacrificed to brevity. I am not one of those who believe that ‘‘all there is to know” about poultry raising, for profit or anything else, can be couched in language so simple that a child can understand. I have tried to avoid unnecessary conplication in my choice of a not very large number of words in expressing a few of my ideas in regard to a part of what there is to know. A quart of milk cannot be deliv- ered without a suitable vessel to put itin. Tam dependent upon the Thoughtful Reader for an understanding, on his part, of what I have to say. This book is not designed to be an encyclopedia of poultry wisdom. There are books that claim to be. There are many things connected with poultry keeping of which I shall say nothing. It is of no conse- quence to the reader how much or little regarding those things Timay or THE TRAP NEST TEXT BOOK 7 may not know. Suttice it to say that il is considerable, both ways. The Poultry Press, long may it live and prosper, make a business of giving both general and specific instruction in poultry culture. Some of this instruction is from competent sources and is reliable, some of it we will not discuss here. There are a number of good poultry papers and Ihave no doubt that there would be more if Mr. Edward C. Madden of Washington, D.C. kept hens and realized the importance of promoting the poultry business in all of its legitimate branches. May he never get a stale egg in his Tom-and-Jerry. ; This is a special book issued for a specific purpose. Primarily to show how to make and use the Ideal Trap Nest under a license con- trolled by my patents. J have thought best to include a discussion of several subjects, some of them intimately and others remotely connected with the use of trap nests. These articles have been written at different times and we feel differ- ently at different times. I am sorry that photographs of my feel- ings at different times were not ready in time to have cuts made. What may seem to be a strange intermingling of seriousness and foolishness in some places, is easily accounted for. When a man begins to read up ‘‘the reason why chicks die in the shell” and gets to the point where he is asked to consider if the hen does not feed the chick through the shell, hence it starves to death in the incubator, he must move slowly. When his manly brow begins to throb and what appears to be the unquestionable fact that freshly- fertilized eggs are more likely to hatch well in a well-operated incuba- tor than under the average sitting hen comes in to perplex, itis well to unbend and indulge in a little harmless frivolity. This takes off the strain and he can more safely take up the latest ‘‘Law of Sex.” If the house cat happens to be a female she will be a good subject for ex- periment. Any rule that will work with her will also work in the poultry yard. When a youth I spent a short time each year, for sev- eral years, on the peaceful shores of Lake Winnepesaukee but I failed to note that a quiet and contented mode of life and absence of friction with the outer world and its strenuous (immortal word) struggle for existence and supreinacy had produced so many females among the population that soprano and contralto were the only parts taught in the winter singing schools, Probably this was because I was not there in the winter. The reader who fails to catch my point is referred to current gossip in poultrydom. A talented writer who has published a very good book that claims to contain ‘all that there is to know’’ about poultry keeping has not yet answered the following perfectly reasonable question addressed to him last spring by the author of this book: ‘Can you furnish me with 8 THE TRAP NEST TEXT BOOK a—— cockerel, hatched from a brown egg that was laid by a hen that you know to have been a persistent layer?” ught for the most simple language that would correctly define my meaning. There is a tendency in poultry literature to simplify at the expense of accuracy. We are told, for instance, that too much corn will make a hen become broody. Such is not, necessarily, the case. A tendency toward broodiness carries with it a tendency to fatten, hence the whole process will be encouraged by the presence of food elements that can be readily converted into fat. We are told that clover, vegetables and meat will wake a hen lay a large number of eves. Those foods will not, necessarily, bring about any such result. The elements contained in them will enable the hen with normal digestive and assimilative powers to feed such eggs as her inherent tendencies cause to be passed down. That number may be greater or less according to the capacity of the individual and the in- fluences of surrounding conditions. The scientific writer who makes a special study of foods and food values in their application to mankind or animals ix prone to attribute tar greater powers to his favorite foods than actual and general practice shows them to possess. The recent boom in the by-products of certain concerns illustrate this point without lessening or increasing the actual value of those by-products in the least, as they are converted in’ the internal economy of those who eat them. One of the greatest points in fav- or of certain much-extolled foods for men or fowls is that they can be made to take the place, to a considerable extent, of heavier foods that are usually used in excess of the actual needs of the body. Over- feeding of ourselves, and those dependent upon us, is a national fault. A man can over-feed himself every day in the vear without increasing his weight or the size of his aldermanic trade-mark. Natural individual tendencies regulate, in a marked degree, the appropriation of food elements in the body. These tendencies vary with different individuals and are largely controlled by heredity, One more reference to inaccurate writing and [ will close this long preamble. One writer of current poultry fact and fiction asserts with great assurance that adi of the big cgg records are made by pullets. Some of us who live where we can communicate freely with the outer world know that this is not so. L hada flock of twenty-three not very renurkable hens last year( 1901) that were hatched in ‘98 and 799 that averaged L2+ 2-3 cees each for the year, Two of them laid 177 cach, one 162, one 15) and so on down to 71, the lowest record. Some of these birds are yet with me and are laying well. These are exceptional hens, perhaps, but they have not. received exceptional care. THE TRAP NEST TEXT BOOK 11 While economic conditions make it necessary for us to maintain our fowls in flocks, often large flocks, the individual bird and its individual traits and tendencies must be the foundation upon which to base all accurate information regarding their proper maintenance and possible profitableness. The small pen of the breeder is but the result of the working of this law and is of no advantage whatever, in regard to fer- tility or anything else, except as it brings us closer to the individual bird. The trap nest enubles us to get still closer to the individual, whether the separate flocks be large or small, and thereby enables us to judge of effect by the cause rather than of cause by the effect as is generally done. With no furthur apology, I submit the following pages to the Thoughtful Reader. THE AUTHOR, Yarmouth, Maine, October 1, 1902. wal Non “Our doubts are traitors And make us lose The good we oft might win By fearing to attempt.” “Who dares not follow Truth where’er Her footsteps lead, But says, ‘Oh, guide not there, nor there! I have not strength to follow where My feet would bleed; But show me worn ways, trodden fair By feet more brave; Who fears to stand in Truth’s broad glare, What others dared not will not dare, Is but a slave.”’ CHAPTER I. INSTRUCTIONS FOR MAKING AND USING THE IDEAL TRAP NEST. PATENTED IN THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA. THE IDEAL NEST BOX. HE IDEAL NEST BOX may be prepared from any box that is fi large enough to give comfortable room fora hen. It may be as large as desired, but should not be less than twelve inches wide, and should be at least 10 inches deep for Mediterraneuns, 12 to 14 for Am- ericans, and 14 to 16 for Asiaties, and high enough for the len to stand erect (making due allowance for nest material) without touching her head to the top. Common soap boxes, canned-goods boxes and the like, stood on end, are often of suitable dimensions and are adimirable for the purpose. With such boxes as these, the front and back referred to in these directions are what were, in the original box, the top and bottom. And the top and bottom of our nest box are the original ends. Having selected a suitable box the cover should he carefully removed and the pieces cleated together to form the front for our nest box (sce fig 1). These cleats should be nailed on 8 in. apart (C to D and S to T). Care must be taken that the nails do not project on the inside. Saw an opening in this front of the following dimensious: (see fig. 1), mark out with pencil first. (For sake of clearness we will suppose that the box ix 19 inches high when stood on end). Beginning at C. 6 inches from the bottom A, mark from C to K., 8 inches; K to G, 8 inches; G to D, 8 inches. Mark the angles J to L and-l to H (from G to H should be 2 inches; G to 1, 2 inches; J to K,3 inches: and Kx to L, 3 inches). Now saw from D to H, M to I, N to J, © to Ly split out the pieces and finish off to angles L, J and WH, band round edges with a knife; this Ieaves in our front an opening & inches high and 8 inches wide, with angles in the corners as shown in the figure. Zn mo case should these ungles be omitted. The top cleat Q should be at least 3 inches wide, and the lower cleat R not less than 2 inches wide. The lower edge of the opening O (KX, C) should be at least 4 inches above the bottom of the box. inside, so. that THE (DEAL TRAP NEST 13 the nest material shall not interfere with the © Attachment’. It may be lower, however, if a strip of 1-2 inch stuff, 4 inches wide, be nailed on edge across the bottom of (he box, inside and 4 inches or more from the front to confine the nest material. If this is done a deeper box will be required. By adopting thix method, a very low box may be used, even for large breeds, us an opening 1 1-2 inches wide may be cut in the front edge of the top of the box to permit the trap plate being raised to the full size of the opening (see U in figs. 5 and 6). Thus it will be seen that a box 15 or 14 inches high might be used, but xo low a box would seldom be required and is not high enough for a hen to stand with comfort. Tearnestly recommend that when xclecting or making next boxes this matter of height be considered. It is a rare thing to find a covered nest that is high enough. Many broken eges, mutilated combs and bruised backs result from using nests that are too low. For the purpose of removing the hen and eve, the box may be fitted with a cover in the top, (fig. 2,) « door in the back, (figs. 3 and 6) or the front may be hinged to serve as a door, (fig. 5). When trap nests are to be used in considerable numbers, they should be so made that the attendant can see if they are occupied without opening them. To attain .this end the Ideal may be made with the hinged front. (fig. 5) and used back to the wall, or if, used front to the wall, the door in the back may be made of narrow strips or laths cleated together so as to leave openings got more than 3-+ inches wide between them, (fig 6.) When the box is used front to the wall the attendant can sce into the nest through these narrow openings in the back. If the box is used dard: to the wall he can see at a glance if the trap is locked or the nest occupied; an important distinction with some trap nests. T prefer this latter style, (fig. 5,) im every case except when the nests are to be used on a littered floor or opening on a walk. When it is desired to hinge the front in order to use the box back to the wall, 3 inch strap hinges may be used and applied as shown in fig. 5. They may be easily bent so as to form a right angle. The door may be secured by any pre- ferred form of hook or button, uA simple catch, made by bending an ordinary screw hook at right angles, may be screwed into the edge of the box at any desired point and makes a strong and handy . fastening, (see fig. 4.) This catch J designed especially for the Ideal and it is the only thoroughly satisfactory fastening that I have ever used. It is strong and «stays put.” I find it a very handy form of catch for various purposes such as fastening coop doors, holding up the bail of the water pail, ett. Screw hooks of any size can be placed in a bench vise and hammered into the right shape. In use, if they turn too 14 THE TRAP NEST TEXT BOOK hard, they should be serewed farther into the wood and then withdrawn the right distance. This will make them work casier. When making the hinged front it should be made 1-4 inch narrower than the box énstde and the cleats Q and R imade as long as the box is wide ovtside, as shown by the dotted lines E E, figs. 1 and 8. The imovable portion of this front should not extend below the bottom edge of the cleat R, the remaining space is filled by nailing a strip to the box, (see W, fig. 5.) A space of 1-2 inch should be left between this strip and the bottom of the door to prevent the latter from binding. VENTILATION. The Ideal inay be ventilated as much or little as is thought desirable. The comfort of the hen should certainly have consideration. Mr. Michael K. Boyer made ventilation one of the cardinal points in his trap nest “contest.” The box may be ventilated by boring holes in the sides, using a large bit or auger, or a box may be constructed of slats or laths 3-4 of an inch apart, or the sides alone may be made in this way and the back solid. Openings should not be made in the top of the box unless it is to be used where the hens cannot perch on it, as their droppings will go through and soil the nest. Ifthe box is high no openings should be made that will be above the fowl’s head when she stands erect. [Lens will jump toward the light that enters above their heads and may break their eggs. Boxes having openings in the lower part of the sides or back, should be used where they will not be exposed to direct draughts of air. The form of.the trap-plate and the hen-opening are such as to provide air, probably suflicient in many cases. TO MAKE THE ATTACHMENT. The Ideal Attachment, a sample of which accompanies the plan sheet, consists of a trap-plate, (A fig. 8) and a paw! or trigger (P fig. 8). For the trap-plate take a piece of 1-2 inch dressed board not Jess than 9 inches wide and 11 inches long (old boxes will often provide suitable picces,) Place the model on this and mark around it with a pencil; bore 1-4 inch hole in exactly same place as in sample; draw. straight. lines as shown in tiv 7, then saw from A to B, C to D, E to F,G to D, H tol, JtoK, Lto M; cut notehes and finish to curved lines with knife. The pawl (P tig. 8) is made from 3-4 inch stuff. [tis very import- ant that this pawl be at least 1-4 inch thicker than the trap-plate which should be at least 1-2 inch thick. Mark out fron sample; the grain of the wood should ran lengthwise of the pawl; bore 1-4 inch hole in exactly the same place as model, then saw out and finish with knife. TILE IDEAL TRAP NEST 14 TO PUT ON THE ATTACHMENT. The trap-plate should be secured to the inside of the front by a ten- wire screw, 1 1-2 inches long. This serew should cnter the front at a point just 3-4 of an inch above the top of opening O, or 8 3-4 in. above the bottom edge, and 1 inch from the side of the box, see fig. 8. When the box has the door in the back or a cover in the top, the front is nailed on and the trap-plate, when closed, rests against the side of the box. When the front is hinged to open as a door a small piece ot wood, 1 inch thick, 1 inch wide and 1 1-2 inch long, is nailed on to the inside of the front to serve asa stop for the trap-plate, see W, fig. 8. Two pieces of 1-2 inch stuff, one piece on top of the other, will answer. The trap-plate should be attached to the front so loosely that it will fall back quickly when raised to its full height, and yet not so loosely that the pawl will fall behind it when it is pushed inward by the hen. The paw) is also secured to the front so that it will move freely and at such a point that the end of the pawl sliull fit easily into the lower notch in the trap-plate,-(N fig. 8), and at such a height that the top of the pawl, (Z tig. $8), will be 3 1-4 inches above a point directly in line with the lower edge of the hen opening O. If the trap-plate and pawl] have been properly hung the opening fron: X to Y (fig. 2) will be about 2 1-2 inches wide when the trap-plate is down and the pawl will tall from its raised position when this opening has been increased to 4 1-2 inches by raising the trap-plate (fig. 9). Should the breed be of very small size, so that they can enter the box without opening the trap-plate 4 1-2 inches, a strip of 1-2 inch stuff 6 inches long, should be tacked on to the inside of the box at Z, fig. 2; the pawl will then fall when the opening is + inches wide: or, if preferred, the curved recess in the edge of the trap-plate need not be so large as that in the pattern when the Ideal is to be used with Mediterraneans; for Asiatics of very large size this recess may be made 1 inch deeper if desired. Both the trap-plate and pawl should fall easily from any position when allowed to drop, either quickly or slowly, ax upon the correct working of this trap-plate and pawl the accuracy of the trap depends. In this connection TF will say that, should the poultry house be ex- cessively damp, the seasoned wood of the trap-plate, pawl, or front of box will swell and the attachment may stick, especially if the screws have been put in too far—a common mistake. Should this happen the offending screw must be loosened, When hanging the attachment a little vaseline or oil on the screws will prevent rust and lessen the lia- bility of trouble in very damp houses. It will also be well to try and remedy the faults in the house that cause dampness, as damp poultry houses are exceedingly bad abiding places for poultry. Of course the nests are not designed to be run under water but they can be if the above obvious expedients are adopted. 16 THE TRAP NEST TEXT BOOK At this writing I have never received a voluntary complaint from a customer, As neither my customers or myself are infallible and my description may not be wholly clear to every reader, T earnestly request that, should any trouble whatever arise, | be notified and given a chance to prescribe the remedy. Public cviticisins of the Ideal by people who have failed in’ their at- tempts to devise as good a nest and have at best a somewhat vague and superficial knowledge of our patent laws and system— at worst a most profound ignorance of them—will never occur if fair trial is allowed to anticipate judgement and I, as the inventor and promoter of the device, wm treated with ordinary business courtesy and candor. To give any trap nest a fair trial, at least one pen shoud be entirely equipped with them. This will require at least one third ax many nests as there are laying hens. Having prepared a sufficient number of Ideal nest boxes, put in a good supply of nest material, and place them in the pen just where they are to remain, first removing all other nests. In order that the hens may become accustomed to the new nests as quickly as possible the trap-plates may be raised and secured by tightening the screws. The nests may be used in this way for about one week, or until the laving hens have all used them, when the serews may be loosened and the nests used as traps. If the boxes are high enough to permit of it, or if open- ings have been nade in the front edge of the top, as shown in tig. 5, the trap-plates may be raised so as to rest on the end of the pawl when for any reason it is desired to.use the Ideal as open nests. This is a suggestion merely. T always use the nests as traps from the start. [do not remain inthe pen watching the hens as that would prevent then from following their own inclinations. I leave the nests and the birds alone and they get together all right as arule. There are sometimes exceptions. Those are referred to under the heading, eggs laid outside the nests and elsewhere. Nest eves should never be placed in trap-nests; they are an unnecessary nuisance with any nests, 4 except when used with sitting hens, and should positively never be used in traps. This positive siulement will very naturally arouse opposition with some readers. PF should not feel justified in making so broad an asser- tion had I not thoroughly canvassed the matter, Do not nest eyes in- duce pullets to Jay in certain places? They certainly do. L doubt. if the pullet that has not laid is influenced any by a nest cee, but after she begins the presence of anything that resembles an eee, in a nest 97 dsearhere, prompts her to lay her offering along side of it. That is one of ny several objections (o nest eyes. Birds form habits very easily and it is not always easy to change them. ; TO OPERATE 17 Nest eges are cold in winter, chilling the birds, often with serious results, and are a prolitie cause of broken eggs. They have a great ten- dency to produce and foster broodiness and their constant uxe will lessen egy production, The healthy and ambitious laver, pullet or hen, will, as arule, use the Ideal trap-nests. if they are properly constructed and installed, without the use of nest eggs or other bait. T have had pullets on free range fly over the yard fences, center the poultry house, and lay their first ees in Ideal nests. These were exceptional cases of course. In flocks of any size eves are likely to be laid outside the nests oc- casionally, especially before the drones have been weeded out. The various causes for this, although usually preventable, are not always prevented. One cge laid outside nay attract several others, especially if the birds have been accustomed to the use of nest eggs. TO OPERATE. Place the finger under the pawl when it isin the locked position shown in fig. 8; raise the pawl] and the trap-plate will rixe and fall back, leaving the pawl in the position shown in fig. 10 The hen, when en- tering the box, raises the trap-plate by the pressure of her body and the pawl drops into the opening in the back edge of the trap-plate. When the hen is inside the trap-plate resumes its original posiiton, but the pawl has fallen tuto the notch N and the trap-plate is securely locked. If the box has the opening in the front of the top (U fig. 4) one of the catches (fig. +) can be screwed into the top edye of the front 2 1-2 inches from the side containing the hen opening and will serve as a stop, pre- venting the trap-plate from being thrown too high when the hen enters. A half turn to the right will permit the trap-plate being raised on top of the pawl when an open nest is desired. Turning the catch back will lock the trap-plate. CHAPTER Il. First experiences. Controlling broodiness with the Ideal. Number of nests required: Location of the nests in the poultry house. The best location. Eggs laid outside the nests; causes and how to prevent. FIRST EXPERIENCES. When beginning the use of the Tdeal they may sometimes be found locked and no hen within. This feature ix not due to any imperfection in the trap device, but is the result of the investigation of the new nests by the hens. Tf the trap did not spring until after the hen had entered the box it would only result in more hens being found in’ the nests, not necessarily more eves. The trap, springing ax it does, simply pre- vents the curious hens from entering the box. In a short time the flock will become familiar with the nests and the laying hens will en- ter them without hesitation. There is another point to be noted in this connection. Tt should be well known that a hen cannot see in the dark. [f the nest box is built so closely that all of the light enters from the hen-opening the nest may become invisible when the entrance is filled by the bird’s body as she attempts to enter the box. This may result in her backing ‘out and the trap locking. In other words the bird is afraid of her own shadow. Especially is this likely to cause trouble when the nests are placed front to the wall, or in a semi-dark or secluded location. By this we see that the boxes should not be too dark. All theories that are opposed to this are untenable. However much exposed the location of our Ideal nest boxes may be, the nest itself will afford sufficient seclusion. Non-laying hens and male birds will sometimes spring the traps but it would be more trouble to release them had they entered than it is to reset the traps. If desired, the trap-plate may be set so as to present a larger opening by raising it just enough for the arm to vest in the notch in the pawl. When the hinged front is crnployed the trap may be set with- out opening the door by making the opening marked S in fig. 6. This opening should not be over 5 1-2 inches lony and one inch wide; this will involve a little extra labor when preparing the box and is by no means necessary. When the Ideal is to be used ona shelf or under the droppings plat- form, it should have either the hinged frout or the door in the baek for removing (he hen and ege. When used faeing the wall a passaee-way should ‘he Jeft in front of the nests to give the hens access to tient: NUMBER OF NESTS REQUIRED 19 Sand or dirt may be used in this passage but not nest material as that would tempt some of the hens to lay outside of the nests. A space wide enough to adinit the hens to the passxave, should be left at the center or any preferred place in the row. Tf the nests are used back to the wall they should be so placed that the hens cannot get behind them. When one nest is to be placed on top of another, a board should be fastened to the top of the under box, projecting about 6 inches in front to permit the hen to reach the upper nest; cleats may be nailed to the board to prevent the nest from being pushed off by the hens. If such a board be fastened to the bottom of the box, the nest may be hung on the wall at any convenient height, provided it has the hinged front, or a door in the side. The Ideal nests may be made in banks or groups, ‘‘one box for each pen,” if you wish, but most poultry keepers, I think, prefer to have their nests single and separate. I also prefer to make them with a bottom but it is not necessary. : A hen will often select one nest in which she will lav day after day, sometimes waiting a considerable length of time for it to be vacated. Taking advantage of this habit, I frequently «break them up’? when broody simply by locking them out of their favorite nest and they will often begin laying again in a short time. While this will not be suc- cesstul in every case it is well worth trying, for the brooding habit can be controlled to a considerable extent by the judicious uxe of the Ideal. The constant handling of the laying hens and the frequent collections of their eggs has a tendency to keep thein laying and overcome the in- clination to sit. The trap nest has exploded the theory that a hen will only lay a certain number of eggs and then ‘‘go broody.’’? The tiny eggs that have been commonly supposed to indicate the ‘end of the litter’? may be laid at any time by liens that are out of condition. When sitting hens are wanted they should be left on the nests as long as they will stay voluntarily, when they want to get out they should be released; do not try to force them to sit. Their eggs should be marked and dated and returned to them. Whenahen begins to cluck, or has remained on the nest quietly for a day and a night, she may be removed to the hatching room, even if she has not stopped laying. Here seclusion and quiet, plenty of whole corn, grit and water and a few nest eggs will generally bring about the desired result. NUMBER OF NESTS REQUIRED. It is impossible to state the exact number of nests required, in every case, as that depends upon the number of cygs laid daily and the fre- quency of collections. There should be enough nests so that they will not all be occupied at one time. Whenahen wants to lay she should ’ 2) THE TRAP NEST TEXT BOOK not ouly be able to find a nest to lay in but she should have a choice of nests, as if only one happens fo be vacant ifmay not be in just the’ location to suit that particular hen, T have found that when the eggs are collected but three or four tines daily, it is advisable to have at least two-thirds as many nests as there are eves laid daily. Henee it follows that the number of nests required depends nore upon the number of eges laid than on the number of hens in the flock. By fitting up amy pens with a number of nests based on the egy yield, adding more nests ax more ege’s were laid, I have been able to keep the eggs laid outside the nests down to a very small number, even with flocks of pullets. A proper arrangement of a sufficient number of traps in the pen will permit of a record being kept of practically all of the eves laid by a flock that is in good condition. It is customary to reckon one-third ax many nests us hens but that rule will not always work. IT have seen the claim that one nest for five hens was sufficient. That estimate was applied in connection with a somewhat expensive nest that was sold ready-inade. One nest with five hens appears to have been one of the rules that helped to make a certain Experiment Station test one of the most wnusing pieces of folly on record. The injustice, bigotry and inaccuracy that characterized the test was cdlisclosed in a Report that also revealed the almost incoipre- hensible stupidity of the management. Four nests might be sufficient for twelve hens but it does not follow that one nest will suffice for three hens. Three hens are likely to want to lav at practically the sume time, occasionally, but they cannot all get into the nest at once—that is if it is the Ideal. [would use at least two nests with three hens, Perhaps five hens would need no more if looked after frequently. Ideal nests are cheaper than time however. There is but one correct rule to follow and that is: use nests enough so that all of the nests will not be occupied long at one time. That might be two nests with one flock of twelve hens and eight nests with another. Tt all depends upon the kind of layers one has and the sys- tem of attention adopted. T cannot impress too strongly upon the reader the importance of in- stalling nests cnough. It is immaterial, in this connection, whether the fault has been in the design of the traps. their expense, or lack of forethought on the part of the user the fact remains that probably ninety per cent of the troubles that people have had with installations of trap nests and the resulting i considered and inaccurate opinions that have been advaneed regarding this system have heen caused, ci- rectly ov indirectly, by an insufficient number of nests, I do not think it necessary to explain in detail all of the reasons for this. Suflice it to say that experience will prove to any reasonable man, 5 THE LOCATION 21 woman, or child, that much time and trouble will be saved Jy install- ing nests enough to properly care for the cyg yield. I have no doubt that I lose sales by emphasizing this point. I know that some go to greater expense for a less number of some other make of nests that oc- cupy more room and then spend more time attending to them than my customers will find necessary. I think it better to be right, however, sales or no sales. THE LOCATION OF THE TRAP NESTS IN THE POULTRY HOUSE. That the somewhat limited space under the roosting platforms is a convenient and desirable place for a portion of the trap nests, or even for all of them in some houses, I will alow, but to my mind there are several very important reasons why this location should not be selected as the best, or to the exclusion of all others, in the great majority of poultry houses. First it is perhaps unnecessary to say that many poultry houses are not provided with droppings-boards, and that in many more that are, there is not sufficient room beneath them for the necessary number of trap nests; hence some other location must be considered for at least a part of them. Individuality is a strong characteristic of some fowls, as well as some men, and while it is possible to train them to do as we wish in inany things, it is equally impossible to teach all of them to do our bidding, ‘To succeed in coaxing every laying meinber of a flock of hens to deposit her eggs in just such a nest, placed in just such a spot as we have decided to be the correct one, will be no light task unless the flock be very small, and not always then, I once had a hen that re- fused to lay in any of the open nests placed on the floor of the pen. Her egg was always found on the floor, (we were able to distinguish it from the others, for the hens were mongrels and her egg was unlike the rest), but a nest box having been placed on top of a barrel she at once adopted it as hers and laid in it right along. When the box was again placed on the floor this hen laid on top of the barrel. It is this trait in some members of the flock that will account, in some cases, for the eggs that are laid outside of the trap nests. While it may be possible to teach‘the hens to use the nests by being constantly on hand, and when one is found sitting on the floor placing her in a nest, I have found it to be much easier to so place the nests in the house that the cranky members of the flock should find one suited to their peculiar notions. The fact that out of 1,368 eggs laid by one pen of mixed hens and pullets, none were found outside the trap nests, may perhaps give some color to what many might calla theory. In this pen 22 THE TRAD NEST TEXT BOOK Thad at one time seven nests placed back to the light under the drop- pings-boards, five on a shelf and six placed around in different parts of the room near the wall; at this time there were forty laying hens in the pen. Most of the hens would Jay in any nest that happened to be va- cant but some of them showed a decided preference to a certain location, and a number to a certain nest. The fact that some of the nests that stood alone were always occupied by the same lens, and that they would never lay in the others, proves to me that those hens had notions of their own in regard to the location of the trap nests inthe pen. The removal of a few of the nest boxes later, resulted in nearly seven per cent. of the eyys being laid outside of the traps in one month. This experience and these suggestions will apply more to flocks of hens that have not been bred to such a degree of uniformity as should characterize a flock of pure-bred birds of one strain. With a good flock of pure-bloods there will be more similarity of temperament and we need not be so particular regarding the distribution of the nests. THE BEST LOCATION. The best location in many poultry houses for the majority of the trap nests, if not all of them, is on a platform or shelf suspended from the rafters or supported from the floor at such a height that it will be easily accessible to the hens and the attendant. Such a platform may be built in the scratching room or roosting room as preferred, should they be separate. The height from the ground may be from 12 to 40 inches, according to breed. This location is more convenient and more agreeable for the attendant, who is not obliged to stoop when removing hen and egg. The nests are out of the way of the scratching material if the scratching room and laying room are one as is often the case. They will be wanner in winter than on the floor under the droppings boards besides allowing more floor space for the flock. Poultry keep- ers of the gentler sex will especially appreciate the advantages of a shelf for the trap nests. While the space under the roosting platforms is probably the least airy part of the poultry house in summer, it pos- sesses the udvantage that the tops of the nest boxes are protected from hens perching on and soiling them; but the boxes used elsewhere may be protected by slanting boards, hen wire, ov in any preferred manner, if desired. IT will say, however, that uf the birds are ted properly they will not perch on the nest boxes to any sertous extent during the day. At night they will occupy their accustomed roosts wnless mites or other distressing conditions are present. This matter of the location of the nests is worthy of careful consideration, ven then we could not all agree, Our hens are not all alike. If they were. these instructions would be more brict, THE BEST LOUATION 23 To my mind the most objectionable place that would be likely to be devised for any nests, trap or open, is beneath the droppings-plat- forms, and I have tested it thoroughly, yet some prefer them there. Our own convenience, comfort and scruples should, in great measure, govern the matter. Were I to fit up # poultry house with what I consider to be an ideal equipment of Ideal nests I would group all of the nests together if the plan of the house permitted such an arrangement. If it did not I would have two or nore main groups and single nests where there was a chance for them, if they were needed. I do not mean that I would build the nests together but that I would arrange the separate nests in one, two or more groups. I would have all that I could of these nests up off of the ground, either on a platform or hung on the wall. These nests would all be made after the style shown in fig. 5 with the hinged front. If any nests were to be permanently used on the ground, I would make them after the style shown in fig. 6 and use them facing the wall and about one foot from it. With such groups of Ideal nests they all look alike and the birds are not so likely to become attached to certain nests as they are when the nests are of different styles and separately distributed. For this reason also I would have no other make or type of nests in the pen. Given such a group of uniform nests the bird that desires to lay will go from one nest to another in the row and select one that is un- occupied. The saine hen may use each nest in the group in as many days. A single glance at this group of nests shows the attendant in- stantly which nests, if any, require his attention. This is a matter of no small importance if many nests are used. There is a farmer near here who uses a system of open nests that he thinks is about right and he would laugh at the idea of fooling away his valuable time with traps. Yet I will guarantee that he spends one-third more time in feeding and watering and caring for his hens and picking up 100 eggs a day than I do, and he does not spend half as much time at it as he ought either. He could not distinguish a hen that had not laid 10 eggs in six months from one that had laid 150 in the same time, to save his life. Not only does the arrangement of traps that I am describing save time but, if the nests are raised above the ground sufficiently, we have the hen where she can be handled with the greatest of dispatch and ease. I like a distance of 30 to 40 inches from the ground to the bot- tom of nest. My Rocks and ’Dottes have no trouble in reaching a bench of that height and the dry sand and litteron the floor does not injure them when they jump down. Of course this height is not arbitrary. My bench or shelf would be 2 or 2 1-2 feet wide and the nests set 24 THE TRAP NEST TEXT BOOK back far enough to leave sufficient margin for the hens to move freely in front of the nests. Such an arrangement, in its general conception, economizes space in the greatest degree. No floor space, or indeed any space that would be needed for anything else, need be used. It is more agreeable as well as more convenient for the attendant to attend to the nests than would be the case if they were situated under the roost-platform where he or she must stoop when removing the hen and egg often approximating certain disagreeable and unsayory accessories. The hens like such an arrangement, apparently, as well as the attendant. If there is a single objection to this nest-plan a three years test has not revealed its importance to me. There are some theories opposed to it and they are in a measure correct theories. I carefully nursed them for awhile, but when you find a theory, however good it may be, that can, with propriety, be improved in the interest of convenience it is well to change it even if you have to make a change of front at the same time. My general description will admit of various modifications to suit different houses and flocks. Platforms for the trap nests may be hung from the rafters with fur- ring or supported from below. They may be of any height preferred, from one to four feet above the ground; or two platforms may be used one above another. If one platform is 20 inches above the ground and another 20 inches above that, three rows of nests may be used, one row on the ground and two more above. Thus two platforms, each §& feet long, would accomodate fourteen nests and seven more on the ground would give twenty-one nests, enough for from forty to sixty hens, without sacrificing but little floor space. The space beneath this lower platform, if open at the ends, will be cooler in summer than that beneath roosting platforms as usually situated, A very good point to remember when arranging nests on a scratching floor, or water pails, grit boxes etc. that are near the floor, is that hens scratch away from the light. The litter will be thrown toward the back of the pen. If Ideal nests, nade after the styles shown in figures 2,3 or 6 are used on the scratching floor, back to the light and near the wall, the litter will not be likely to interfere with the trap, EGGS LAID OUTSIDE THE NESTS. When cves are laid outside the nests there must be a reason for it. There mmay be an insufficient number of nests, ov some of them may be too light, or too dark, or improperly located in the pen; they may be infested with vermin, or some of the hens are too fat. Whatever the cause may be it should be searched out and remedied as far as possible, If boxes are so situated or constructed that they are so dark that tiie EGGS LAID OUTSIDE THE NESTS 25 hens cannot see the nest, they will not be used. [f the ‘boxes are yen- tilated in such a manner and placed in such a location as to admit too much light, some of the laying hens will avoid them, while the non- layers may patronize them for scratching purposes only, especially if a good supply of scratching material hax not been provided elsewhere. Eggs that are found on the droppings-boards or in the open floor or yard, are laid by hens that are out of condition. Their egg organs are weakened by accumulations of fat so that the egg is voided premature- ly, incontinence may be caused by too frequent or too ardent attentions of the male, or a low tone of the nervous systein, resulting in a lack of unbition may be at the bottoin of the trouble, or it can be caused by over-stimulation. It is somewhat anusing to read after the Author-of-all-poultry- knowledge, who claims that we can keep track of our layers well enough by observation without the aid of trap nests and in the next word says that we are not warranted in using them for the reason that eges will be laid outside and no one can tell which hens laid them. If this Sage cannot find the pullet that drops her occasional egg in some corner his superior intelligence would hardly enable him to keep track of those that Jay in the nests. If eves are laid around anywhere it will require considerable close observation and study to search out those few individuals that are re- sponsible and get at the root of the difficulty. This goes to show how hopeless would be the task of attempting to keep track of the whole flock by the sume methods. Our first concern should be to supply an adequate equipment of suit- able nests. This book shows one way to do that. Next we should so feed and care for our flocks that they shall be in good working condi- tion, not indolent and filled with fai. The hens that lay in the nests at all and thus gain a place in our egg record will, as a rule, use them all of the time if they are not barred out. Those birds that prefer to lay outside ure always the same birds. They do not lay in the nests part of the time and outside part of the time. The record sheet will show which birds are using the nests. Those remaining will include the outside layers if there are any. It may be more trouble to watch for these drones than” it is worth unless, us should be the case with Experiment Station workers we are seeking knowledge for the benefit of others. Those who are already so supreme- ly wise that they do not care to look into the details of poultry keeping ‘arefully will be perfectly justified in holding their peace regarding: things that they can know nothing about. Ready guessers are mighty poor instructors. Profitable layers will use suitable nests if such are available when they want to lay. I have taken the trouble to search out and keep track of 26 THE TRAP NEST TEXT BOOK such of my birds as declined to use the nests. There was something the inatter with every one of them and they were fickle layers. When the drones are culled out the trouble will cease as far as anything that can be charged to the hens is concerned. If the nests are teeming with lice or mites we cannot blame a hen for declining to use them, but even when such deplorable conditions exist the most persistent layers will use the nests and suffer the consequences. Delaying a neal much beyond the regular time (there should be a regular time) will sometimes cause hens to hold their eggs and ne- glect to enter the nests in time. In such cases eggs inay be drop- ped at the attendant’s feet when he cuters the pen and the birds flock around him eager for their tardy meal. Regularity in feeding will prevent this. Constant espionage by an inexperienced and over-anxious caretaker will be very likely to produce such conditions in a flock that an ab- normal unrest and eagerness for food between meals will result both in the laying of eggs outside of the nests and in an appearance of uneasiness under restraint, with the birds in the nests. The wholly mistaken notion that a hen should be, or always desires to be re- leased from the nest as soon as the egg is laid hax often been fostered because apparently sustained as a result of such unpractical methods. The novice in poultry keeping is by no means the only offender in this respect. The trap nest novice is. If reasonable confinement in trap nests is likely to injure our birds in any way then let us cease to impose the much ereater restraint made necessary by our iethods of caring for brood hens, breeding males, exhibition and imarket birds, and expensive specimens shipped to fastidious customers. Preconceived notions are not always con- sistent or sane. When an adequate equipment of Ideal nests is provided and the flock properly fed and cared for and eges are found outside of the nests, the presence of drones that should be weeded out may be suspected. Tt may be regarded as reasonably sure that such birds as have a place in the ege record are not guilty. That will confine the sus- pects to those birds that do not appear in the daily records. This fact being recognized it will simplify the matter of detecting the offenders. A little watching will generally result in’ catching the bird or birds in the act and a note can be made of then. When eves are found in some corner or secluded spot where the hen has made a nest for herself, an deal nest box should be put in that place or as near it as possible. Lhave found that by this means the hen or pullet was invariably caught, aud afer using the nest once or twice would continue to lay either in the same nest or in the others. EGGS LAID OUTSIDE THE NESTS 27 To illustrate: on the 9th inst., an egg was found in the dust box, on the 10th another, in the same place, An Ideal was placed in the dust box; on the 11th, no ege was found; on the 12th, a pullet with no leg band (L do not give them bands until they begin to lay) was found with her egy in the Ideal. She was given a band, and on the 13th and 14th laid in this same nest box; since that time she has laid regularly in the same nest, although it has been moved to another place, and no more eggs have been found in the dust box. | could cile many of these cases if necessary. Those who do not favor the general use of trap nests, may believe that it is impossible to prevent a large percentage of eggs from being laid outside the nests, and I have no doubt that this is true with many of the traps in use, which are of such construction that they only present the nests to view a part of the time. As imitation is a strong factor in hens learning to use any nests, they do not so readily * learn to distinguish between the unoccupied nest which they can see and the closed nest which they cannot see. The Ideal presents the nest to the vicw of the hens all of the time; when it is occupied the other hens recognize the fact that it is a case of one at a time, and wait for it to be vacated, or look for another nest which has the saine appearance, only it is unoccupied. Still another cause of this trouble is the presence in the pen of different types of nests. Some of the hens may become attached to a certain style of nest and refuse to enter another kind. If locked out of their favorite nest for a long time they may lay in front of it or elsewhere outside. These facts are given to serve as suggestions merely. Any construction or arrangement of the nest boxes that proves satisfactory in results will be correct; while if many eggs are found outside the nests, it will show that something is wrong and needs to be changed. All of the foregoing may seein to be very trivial to those who regard it as a foregone conclusion that some hens will deposit their eggs any- where, auvway, whether or no, and we should let it go at that and pick up the eggs. J assure the reader that when eggs are laid around anywhere, or under the roosts at night, in considerable numbers, some- thing is radically wrong Either a lot of unprofitable drones are being maintained at the expense of the birds that regularly use the nests or conditions of feeding or care exist that are not conducive to the best results in egg production, CHAPTER III. The best style of nest to use. One or two compartraents; which? The two-compartment Ideal. The care of the nests, Collecting eggs. Record Keeping. Using the nests open. Separating the layers from the non-layers, Brief Pointers. THE BEST STYLE OF NEST TO USE. N THE majority of cases the style shown in figure 5 of the plan- | sheet—the one with the hinged front— will be the most satisfac- tory. This style is to be used facing the attendant and the light. It can be used under the droppings-boards, on a shelf, on an unlittered floor, or, by nailing a board on the bottom, projecting 8 inches in front, it may be hung on the wall. This hinged-front style is the one pre- ferred by Mr. M.K. Boyer, and it was largely due to his criticisms of the other styles that [ was led to make a most thorough test of this one that justifies me in recommending it as the best in most cases. Very nervous hens will not be as contented in them as they will in a box facing the wall and having a solid back, but careful handling will soon tame such birds sufficiently. The styles shown by figures 2, 5 and 6 are best adapted for use on a littered floor, facing the wall and about one foot from it. The litter will not interfere with the operation of the trap. The style shown in figure 2 is the most economical fo prepare as no hinges are needed, but it ix more difficult to handle the hen, and, if nervous, she is likely to get away from the attendant. The style shown by fig. 3 has the advantage that the rear door being hinged at the bottom drops down and deep litter in the pen will not interfere with its being opened. The style shown in fig. 6 is the best one of these three styles. It will not be much trouble to clear away what litter may pile up against the back and when the door is opencd the hen is not so likely to leap upward toward the light that, with the drop-down door, is first ad- mitted from the top when the door is being opened, Having described these severat styles and given my opinion of their comparative merits, Ghat may or may not agree with others, [ recom- mend that, after reading the directions regarding the location of the nests in the pen, the style or styles of nests that are desired be selected and enough boxes be obtained to fit up at least one pen completely. Prepare all of these boxes for the application of the attachments. Then make, or have made, enough atdachinents to tit up allot the boxes, Thon hang and adjust the attachments, following the directions THE BEST STYLE OF NEST TO USE 29 explicitly. It will be well to have the hen-opening exactly 8 by 8 inches as the measurcments given for adjusting the trap-plate and pawl are based upon that exact size. after the boxes are all finished and ready for work, place them in the pen and remove cvery other nest of. whatever kind or nature. This for best results. The Ideal is not ashamed to go into company, good or bad, but when it tackles a job of this kind it likes to handle it alone and then it knows that the work will be done right. Placing one trap nest in a pen of hens, expecting to learn much about the nest or the hens, ix about as reasonable as it would be to expect one man to carry a grand piano up a flight of stairs. The man might be able and willing to do his part but he could not, and would not try to do much more than that. If the reader, after he has tested a complete equipinent of 1deal nests long enough to understand them, and the relation that a single, soli- tary trap nest bears to a flock—ecven a very small flock— of hens, and considers that probably nine-tenths of the unsatisfactory trap nest tests that have been made have been apparently made on that basis, he can form his own opinion of some expert judgeinent and will perhaps say with Schiller: «Against ~tupidity the gods are powerless.” One trap nest is of no practical use to anyone woless he can rightfully use it us a model from which to make a complete equipment. «One trap nest is enough for tive hens” is true if only one hen is laying and the others let the nest alone, but if two hens are laying it is not enough, unlesss both are able to occupy it at once—as they are very likely to do with some traps. I do not know asx anyone in particular is responsible for the very prevalent notion that one trap can be made a satisfactory test of its own merits and of the practicability of the trap nest systein. It seems to be due to the all too common tendency of people to jump at conclusions, to assume that they understand a thing before they can know anything about it, and to ignore conpletely all competent authority. Experience in the care of poultry justifies no man in assuming that he is competent to judge of the practicabilty of the individual system or -of the appliances used in connection with it until he bas been qualified by adequate experience with the system and its accessories. The average daily ege yield and the length of time between the visits of the attendant are the only factors that determine the correct number of trap nests to place in the pen. The egg yield is the most important to be considered of these two. As many nests will be needed if they cost three dollars each as if they cost but three cents each. If the nests are so large that there cannot be found room for enough of them it will not lessen the need of more. ‘One box sufficient for each pen” in an 30 THE TRAP NEST TEXT BOOK advertisement means that all the nests are made together, as a group of Ideal nests can be made if desired. It is, in my opinion, a bad plan and I advise against it. ~The nests should be single and separate so that they can be moved readily, taken out of doors and cleaned if need be, and arranged in the pen as convenience and circumstances may clictate. This whole matter of the construction, arrangement and use of trap nests is so very simple when once understood that such a treatise as this would seein to be unnecessary did the author not know how little the matter ix really understood. T am writing frankly, and as plainly as I know how, as an instructor and I trust that each reader is an earnest student and willing to learn. Should he have but a small flock and a roomy house and grasp my meaning and understand its importance at once, he may think that Iam long-winded and tuke too much time to explain obvious matters. If so, T will remind him that there are others with larger flocks, differently constructed houses and various conditions to contend with that make the matter of trap-nest installation a fair problem. There are also some with heads so full of original(?) notions that it is pretty hard to crowd in a practical truth without causing concussion of the brain. I hope to have a large class and they will be varied in their individual make-up and be surrounded by conditions differing widely. ONE OR TWO COMPARTMENTS; WHICH ? Either the single or double compartinent ideas for a nest box are not patented or patentable. Those who would like to divide their nest boxes into two parts, one for the nest and one fora ‘waiting room” can do so without infringing upon anyone’s rights. I designed, years ago, quite a number of two-compartment nests and have also used and examined many others, Our Ideal nest box can be made about two feet long and divided by fastening a + inch strip across the center of the box, or a box some 24 feet long with the hen-opening wade in the side can be used. This side can be hinged at the bottom so as to be opened downward. OA strip four inches wide and of suitable length can be nailed across the box diagonally and the nest placed in one corner. After the hen has remained on the nest as long as she desires (from five minutes to as many hours) she may come off and wait patiently to be released or, if she is nervous, she may race back and forth on and off the nest. She can pull her eve out of the nest or eat it where it is, if she knows how, She can roost on the edge and soil the uest if she likes, and she is far more likely to do this than were she in the nest itself, THE CARE OF THE NESTS 31 Personally I do not care for a two-compartment nest. I have had more eggs broken in two-compartment nests than in single apartments. The fact that some types of traps require xo large a box led me to aban- don such types and design a new type and fully protect it by letters patent. My customers can use any kind of box that they choose, pro- vided it is large enough, in combination with the Ideal front and trap device. THE CARE OF THE NESTS. The nest-containing portion of the nest-box should be deep enough and tight enough to contain and retain a quantity of straw, or hay, sufficient to nake a good nest. One that in use will always provide an elastic cushion to break the fall of the egg. A hen stands when laying an egg, paradoxical as it may seem to some. Sand is good for use under the nest material. This supply of nest material should be maintained. I have allowed my nests to remain eutirely devoid of uest material for months at a time. The nests were used just the same without the nest material as with, its absence or presence made no difference, Eggs that had strong shells were not broken, weak-shelled eges often were, as they are likely to be inany nests. In practical use an abundance of nest ma- terial should be provided. The nests, if kept clean, will discourage the breeding of lice and ensure greater cleanliness of the eggs. When droppings are found in the nest they should be removed. It is said to be a ‘‘mean bird that will foul her own nest”? but in practice very nice birds will do so. It is not always due to the hen remaining in the nest box too long, not by any means. Hens very frequently void excrement at the very moment. that the egg drops. For this reason soiled eggs are not entirely pre- ventable. J have found common kerosene oi] an effectual preventative of lice in the nest boxes. I spray it in, on and around them thoroughly with a 50 cent tin sprayer that gives a mist-like spray. But little oi] is wasted. By spraying the nests late in the afternoon, after laying has practi- cally ceased for the day, the hens are disturbed but little by the sound of the escaping spray. The oil will evaporate from the nest material sufficiently before morning =o that the eggs laid the following day are not impregnated with it. At least [ have found it so. If in doubt this test can be made with caution at a time when the eggs are not being used for hatching. I spray the nest material thoroughly with this fine spray at any time when T feel like it, and eggs used on the family table are al] right. Remember: I counse] caution in this regard. Nest material damp with kerosene will not injure the hen. I have never 32 THE TRAP NEST TEXT BOOK known it to injure an egg. Satisfy yourself by actual test before de- pending upon my experience. Tt the care of the nest boxes is a periodical occurrence they should be taken out of doors, thoroughly cleaned, kerosined and filled with fresh nest material. The styles of boxes herein described are admirably adapted for convenience when cleaning up time comes. That reminds me of the story of Augeus a fabulous king of Elix who won fame as the possessor of a stable, containing 3,000 oxen, that had not been cleaned for thirty years. Hercules cleaned it out in a single day. Could some modern Hercules be pressed into service on all of the poultry plants that are in a condition similar to that of the stable of Auveus the increased ege production of the country that would result might have a serious effect on the ege market. COLLECTING EGGS. There is a familiar saying that practice makes perfect. The chronic guesser may have heard the saying but is seldom willing to apply it impartially. Ab experience of several years with trap nests, during which time I have personally collected forty thousand eges, more or less, from them, is no doubt responsible for a view of this matter that differs materially from that obtaining among those who, for various reasons, desire to bring discredit upon the individual systein, those who have adopted it and the appliances necessary to use in connection with it. It is claimed by some, who have had more or less experience in handling poultry or writing upon the subject, that, even admitting the value of this system in the abstract, the attention of traps consumes time that could better be employed in other directions. It has been figured out on paper—the same process that they accuse us of applying to our arguments— that, if it takes one minute to collect and record one egg it would take six liundred minutes, or ten hours, to collect six hundred eyes. Six hundred eyes, they claim, at current market prices will not bring enough to warrant us in spending ten hours in collecting them and recording the numbers of the hens that laid them. This is the sum and substance—shorn of a lot of superflous verbiage— of the arguments, wise and otherwise, that ow’ critics have written, Several of these same crities have, at one time or another, when the trap nest was not their text, placed themselves on record by asserting that, to be successful with poultry, one must devote considerable time to them. One of our most practical editors, a man whom, I believe, is sincerely trying to upbuild the poultry business us hard as any writer we have, says: The successful poultryman is the one who is constant. ly with his hens,” and he does not exelude, as should be done, the COLLECTING EGGS av) ‘keeper of afew hens, who, obviously, cannot afford to spend all of his tire with a small flock. }< ill admit that logic does not always receive the support of prac- fir but, Lain sure, we can show logic that is born of practice that will ve ace the arguments to which I have referred. {am fully cognizant of that army of poultry keepers who keep hens a» a side issue and are employed in shop, store, office or elsewhere dur- ing wiost, or all, of the day. They are often unable to derive any of the advantages that would accompany the use of bone cutters, incuba- tors and brooders. or some of the thousand-and-one things that are. very properly, offered to the fraternity in general, without criticism, in the advertising columns of our poultry papers. Others of this class can use some, or all, of those things to more or less advantage. It is not a matter for us to determine for others, but one that must be set- tled by each person for himself. I vlaim that any person who has spare time enough to justify him in attempting to breed and raise chickens with a view to honestly obtained profit can derive sufficient benefit from an installation of Ideal nests to warrant all necessary outlay. My argument here is based upon what have become generally—ac- cepted rules for good poultry-keeping and, like all such rules, must be modified by circumstances. It is a somewhat bootless task to atlempt to time, by watch, every distinct duty of the poultry vard or farm. It will take some time to tell how long it takes to do athing. The workman who pays. strict attention to the work in hand without too much regard for’ the fleeting moments will, as a rule, do better work and do it more quickly than the one who grabs out his watch every few minutes, for fear that he will work over time, and, figuratively speaking, leaves his hammer in the air when the whistle blows. If our hens lay, the eggs must be gathered. It is admitted by all good poultry men that it is good practice to gather them frequently. In cold weather, with open nests, egys left too long in the nests be- come chilled. In warm weather they do not cool sufficiently if left too long, especially when they are covered by hens much of the time, as they are more likely to be in summer than in winter if not gathered until night. Eggs left in the nests induce broodiness, and much of the poultryman’s troubles in summer with broody hens that he does not want, can be obviated by frequently collecting the eges. Now all of this is not original with me. These facts are known to all experienced poultry raisers, and thousands of them collect their egys regularly two or three, and often four or five times per day, the year ’round. All, dy not. Some cannot, others will not; but they should be gathered sometime and not a few spend considerable time hunting in hay mows, 34 YUP TRAP NEST TEXT BOOK hedge rows, fenee corners ind other out-of-the-way places for the fruit of the festive hen. The time required to collect eggs from trap nests as opposed to the time required without them is the difference between the two. if any. Many people under the ordinary system arrange matters in such a way that +too much time” is required for many things, including ege collections. The stuue is true under this system. Tf, under the old system, it takes fifteen minutes to collect a given number of eves, and under the new system it takes twenty minutes, then five minutes is all the time that we ean charge to the new method, not twenty minutes. A complete adoption of the individual system may require a radical change in several directions, from the former methods of some poultry keepers. It seems to me that this system is simple; far more simple than any other plan that I have yet heard of, that gave equal promise of sure results. The general aim and design should be to collect the eggs when other duties are performed. The other work can be arranged to work in harmony with the egg collections. My way may not be the best way for everyone but it has worked well here for several years. I do not feed the morning meal early. IT can conceive of uo possible reason why it should be fed early, ax far as the welfare of the hens is concerned. T intend that laying shall be well started for the day before breakfast isfed. At this time L glance at the nests and remove such birds as are in them that they may eat, if they wish. Such eggs as are found are taken and the birds’ numbers marked on the slip. When I have taken the trouble to time the operation I have found that T could collect and record about six eves in one minute. Several nmubers can be easily retained in the memory and recorded on the slip at once, This inay require some practice. Begin with two and gradually in- crease, Many people would be able to remember a half dozen or more numbers easily and accurately. This would make considerable differ- ence with a large flock. I give fresh water twice a day and collect eges at the same time. When a noon meal is ted that also includes an egg collection. The time consumed in going from the feed room te the poultry houses, and from one pen to another is not charged up to trap nests but. to the fecding. When nonoon meal is given Pimake a special ege conection, At mid- afternoon (evening south) TP water the second time and this is the last collection until supper is fed. My flock has never much exceeded 200 RECORD KIEEVING 30 birds. If it were larger there would be more incidental work and the advantages of this plan be cinphiasized. The actual labor connected with the continuous use of trap nests ix in the record keeping: if continuous records are kept. [f this form of record keeping is not worth the labor theu no kind of record keeping is. A completely-kept individual-record sheet is a memorandum and a chart allin one. Almost anything that we want to know about our birds will be disclosed or suggested on the record sheet. Nothing can take its place, but it requires time to keep this daily log. The attention of the nests need be only an incident in the round of daily duties that the rules of good poultry keeping require. The birds will become accustomed to any reasonable and regular system. If the caretaker’s visits are frequent the birds will learn to expect them. If not so frequent they will Jearn to be patient. Hysterical concern for the welfare of the hen should be guarded against. During hot weather extra care must be exercised. The birds should not be allowed to become overheated while on or off of the nests. Observation will show that overfeeding is one of the dangers during hot weather and the over fat and occasional layer is more likely to suf- fer than the persistent layer. RECORD KEEPING, The laying hens should be provided with numbered Jeg bands. When the hen is removed from the nest her number should be marked on the egg or on a record sheet kept for the purpose. These record sheets are generally tacked ou a board and hung up in the pen. Wheu the flocks are kept in long houses it is a good plan to have the leg bands on the right leg in the first pen, the left Jeg in the second, the right leg in the third, and so on. If, perchance. biddy gets into the adjoining pen, this difference in the position of the leg band imay be quickly noticed by the attendant, who may have scen her go in but might other- wise be unable to distinguish her from the rest. The right way to handle a hen when taking her nwuber, is to tuck her under the left arm, head first. The leg with the band is then lifted and the number noted. The hens will offer considerable resistance at first, but they soon become very taine, giving no trouble whatever. The bands should be put on upside down to facilitate reading when the bird is in this position. Record keeping will require much or little time. according to the object for which the record is kept. A record for the purpose of pedi- gree breeding will uecessurily be more complicated than one that is kept merely to ascertain the laying qualities of individual lens. Each 36 THE TRAP NEST TEXT BOOK should adopt a system that is best adapted to his particular require- ments and the time at his disposal. The method that [ am using at present is very simple and takes but little time. In beginning, [hang up a quantity of leg bands in each pen and band each bird that lays, when she is tuken froin the nest; the non-lavers ave not numbered. By this plan I ain able to distinguish the layers from those that have not begun to lay at a glance. A block of blank paper and a pencilis hung up in each pen, When the eggs are collected the hens’ numbers are marked on the paper and such remarks as to their condition, ete., as may seem desirable, are added. At night these slips are torn off and the record copied on the record sheet at any convenient time. The daily memorandum concerns the laying hens only: it is unnecessary to make a cipher when no egg is laid: the square being blank indicates that plainly enough. The addi- tions are made us the eges are put down; the last day in the month that a given hen lays gives her total for the month. Jf a hen lays two eges in one day (which does not happen ax offen asx some suppose) they inay be put down in one square. In the breeding season a list of the hens that we want to breed from is tacked up beside the record blanks and their eggs are marked and dated when collected. When the eges are tested it is noted if all or nearly all of the eggs laid by any one hen are infertile. Breeders who sell eggs tor hatching may thus, to a certain extent, avoid sending infertile eggs to their customers. A saving of time is an important consideration with us and this system perimits of the eggs being col- lected more quickly and the book-keeping is done ‘after hours.” By using the various letters noted on-the sample record-blank that accompanies each set of Ideal Plans and Permit a permanent record of the condition and disposition of each bird is made. A space is left for remarks of any kind. Record can be made of the date of the first ege of the pullet and also of the current market prices of eges each month. The back of each sheet is blank and any data relating to rations and the expense of same can be noted there. | recommend that everything of importance be noted down on these blanks cach night. The blanks when filled can be filed away by pens or by months as preferred; suit- able clips for holding them together are easily obtained. Almost any information that one could desire in regard to the past history or pres- ent condition of his flocks can be obtained from these individual records. By adopting a regular and convenient system for doing this work the record keeper will soon acquire skill, not only in keeping the records bat in reading them, Proof of totals can be obtained by adding the perpendicular month- Jy-total column and the horizontal daily-tolal column separately ; the RECORD KEEPING at result. should be the same inthe square at the bottom of the monthly totals. I prefer to keep these blanks in the house because I can collect the eggs faster when I roughly record them on slips of common paper hung in the pens, and because the printed sheets can be kept clean in the house. Neglect will make this work very laborious; regularity and interest will make it easy and a pleasure. Those who wish to adopt a complete pedigree system should cor- respond with Beecher & Beecher, Belleville, Kansas who have a full page ad. in the back part of this book. They have very skillfully adapted the famous card-index system to the poultry breeder’s use. I have just received one of their complete outfits and find it to be just what they claim. When pedigree records are kept the breeder keeps track of the eggs of each female until the chicks are hatched when the chicks are toe- punched. Many of the poultry papers handle these punches. H. A. Kuhns, Atlanta, Ga. also handles a fine one. The following different marks can be punched in the web between the toes of young chicks, or adult fowls, and causes no pain or injury. Bo Re ee DORE. RS BOM Am A’m. AoA. BAL AM, AM, AA, DUA. ATA, ATA, The eggs of each hen can be kept separate under sitting hens or by using a pedigree tray in the incubator. In the latter case the pedigree tray is not put in until the last time the eggs are turned on the 18th day. These trays keep each lot of eggs separate and also the chicks after they come out. The information obtained in this way is of the greatest value to the breeder. Many of the persistent defects in our fancy breeds could soon be bred out if the breeder would discover and reject the hens that are responsible for them. It is the writer’s belief that such faults as the single comb in Wryandottes and other rose-comb families, as well as plumage defects and the like can be got rid of by pursuing this course. I found this year that one of my most remarkable layers, a very homely bird with a bad comb, gave ine some fine cockerels with five point combs of good shape and texture. The sire also had a very ordi- nary comb. These things are w ell known by expert breeders but they are seriously handicapped under the ordinary system. BS THE TRAP NEST TEXT BOOK Poultry breeding is ectting down to a genuine business proposiuion and no man ean foretell the outcome. The time may come, possibly, when more breeders can produce birds that will substantiate their ad- vertized claims. USING THE NESTS OPEN. The Ideal is expecially adapted for those who are unable, or do not wish to keep continuous individual egg records. There are many cases where it is desirable to separate the lavers from the non-lavers. A hen that is laying requires more food than when she is not laying and it is impossible to feed a flock properly that contains laying and non-laying hens running together. It is by no means necessary to keep count of the number of eges laid by each hen for a whole year in order to determine if she is a good lay- er. That absurd idea has produced lots of trouble for many people. Incidentally the idea has been responsible for much ignorant writing on both sides of the question. We cannot, in any general extent, deter- mine a hen’s value as a layer without a record, in black and white, of her laying habit. It does not require a year to eet this however. When, for any reason, it is desirable to use the Ideal as an open nest all we have to do is to push up the trap plate and tighten the screw. If the opening in the top, shown in fig. 5 of plan sheet, ix made, the trap plate can be raised on top of the pawl. Mr. Victor D. Caneday makes his Ideal nest boxes 14 inches wide and by raising the trap plate high cnough the pawl drops down out of the way and the trap plate will then inove back and forth without lock- ing. The hen pushes her way in as usual and pushes her way out after laving. Mr. Caneday likes this plan much better than mine. This will not work unless the box is about 13 or 14 inches wide. By using the nests as traps when convenient, we can determine which birds are laying and the kind of eges that they are giving us. By using them as traps during the spring, we find the birds that are laying the most eves per week or month and can identify the hen that produces cach ege that we use for hatching. By using the nests as traps in the fall with the pullets, wetind which are the first fo lay, which start in laying freely and the kind of eve each is giving us. With the hens we can pick out and note those that lay during their molt. Tn short we can use the Ideal as open nests or traps ad libition and they are the best of their kind either way, LT recommend that continuous records be kept whenever it is possible and allof the adyantuees of the individual system be derived, BRIEF POINTERS ay BRIEF POINTERS. Small, deep, semi-dark nests will prevent egg-eating. Moving non-layers into another pen will often start them laying. It is not necessary to release a hen as soon as she has laid. Collect the eggs as often as you wish. While three or four times a day will answer if you have nests enough, still in many cases it will be found desirable to gather them every two hours during that part of the day when the hens are laying the most eggs, sav, 10, 12, 2 and 4 o’clock. It will not be necessary to examine the nests except when the regular egg collections are made: If a hen is anxious to get out, the nest that she occupies may be readily ascertained without opening the others. Openings made for ventilation should not be large enough to admit a hen’s head. If low boxes are used they should be 18 or 20 inches long. Discard the nest eggs; they chill the hens in winter, and are a pro- lific cause of broken cges. If nest material be used in the passage in front of the nests, some of the hens may Jay in the passage instead of the nests. This will account for some of the cases where a hen is supposed to have laid two eggs in one day; she may not have laid at all, but pulled the eggs in from the outside. This will not be possible with the Ideal, made as directed. When the Ideal is made and used us recommended in these plans, there is little danger that the egg will be broken by the hen when try- ing to escape. My hens have laid thousands of eggs in such nests with- out an egg being broken or eaten in them. One-half as many nests as there are laying hens is a safe rule to follow with a heavy laying stock, when collections are made but three or four times a day. If all of the nests are frequently found occupied at one time there are not enough of them in the pen. When the boxes are inade with openings in the back and used in rows facing the wall, they should all be made that way as the hens may avoid the lighter nests for the darker ones if they are not all alike. If a nest is not used at all there is a reason for it. Tt a hen can’t find a nest that suits her she may lay on the floor. Thin shelled eggs are liable to be broken in any nests. Clover, green bone, oyster shells, grit and exercise will ensure good shells, A healthy hen that has laid in the trap nests a few times will seldom, if ever, lay outside of them unless she is unable to find a nest that pleases her. The box with the cover in the top ix cheaper to construct, but the hen is more likely to get away when the box is opened. 40 THE TRAP NEST TEXT BOOK A hen will often go on the nest several days before beginning to lay. At feeding time all hens on the nesis should be allowed to come off, If hens are released at any time between the regular rounds, their eggs may be placed temporarily in a vacant nest.which should be locked; or an egg rack may be provided for this purpose. In a scratching shed house a platform at the back of the scratching shed will be a cooler location for the nests in summer than the space under the roosts in the roosting room. Use the same kind of nest material in all the nests in the pen; if the same kind of material is used for litter all the better. Hens will, in time, learn to use almost any kind of a nest. A box 14 inches long may be placed on top of a box 18 inches long; this gives the hens a chance to reach the upper box which should be se- cured so that it will not be pushed off. The more floor space given the hens the better they will lay. Clean straw or hay is the best nest material; sand or dirt sticks to the eggs. Sand is good under the nest material. The nest boxes may be made 24 inches or more long and divided into two apartments if desired. There is this objection to such construction however. The hen will sometimes pull her egg into the ‘waiting room’? where it is likely to be broken if the bottom is bare. If nest material be placed in both compartments the hen will often lay in the ‘¢waiting room.’’ Nervous hens are likely to break their eggs racing back and forth froin one apartment to the other. The single apartment nest box is the best. Don’t criticise the Ideal because you think it hard for the hens to get in. Itis avery simple matter to make it so that it will be easy for a hen to enter, but, when we do that, we teinpt them to go in when they do not wish to lay. A hen will go into an Ideal Nest Box when she wants to lay an egg if she has to climb afoot to do it, but she will rare- ly make such an attempt at any other time unless broody. CHAPTER IV. Trap Nests vs. Observation. Culling for profit. TRAP NESTS vs. OBSERVATION. Should the figures seem to lie We must prove the lie by figures Or the ‘‘figures do not lie.” HOSE who have kept careful records of the doings of individual Ty hens have often reported ege yields that seem so large, to some people, that they absolutely refuse to credit them. If we asksuch a skeptic why he doubts he will vive the reason, said to be sucha favorite with women: “because.” Tle may add: «it is unreasonable.’’ «Be- cause it is unreasonable” is no argument. When aman who knows anything about the ege-producing capacities and habits of individual hens questions the accuracy of a reported egg record he will be able to justify Is doubts by an exhibition of facts, or figures obtained in the same way that those whose records he questions obtained theirs. Other wise we must doubt the doubter. I am in the mood to inake a comparison between the observation the- ory of keeping track of the laying hens, as it appears to me when hand- ling my own hens, and the trap-nest system. Any trap-nest user is able to make the comparison; without trap nests it cannot be made. Any theory that does not furnish the means for proving its own reliability is a pretty weak theory. between two stores in one sinall town. and the quality cut no figure. The elowing reports and the figures in millions that have their proper place in our poultry- and farm-journal sometimes show the great poss/- bilities of the poultry business: --- rarely the probabilities. Should this chapter be read by any one who is suffering from a se- vere attack of powltry-hysteria T would caution him to go slow. There are immense opportunities for losing money in the poultry business. It is one of the most simple things in the business to hatch and raise chickens. What are you going to do with them after you get them? The common ambition to keep 500 or L000 heus is one fori of mild in- ‘sanity. The ambition to learn where to obtain, and how to breed and maintain ax good hens as possible ix a worthy one. LOS THE TRAP NEST TEXT BOOK The ambition to produce asx many eggs as possible at the least expense is also worthy. There are flocks of 50 that are now producing more eges daily than other flocks of 200. The man who can breed and main- tain a flock of 12 hens that will pay a good profit (assuming that all the food was purchased) is warranted in practicing with 50 the next year. Some who make a profit on flocks of 1000 or more save enough by buying their feed by the carload at a favorable time to account for much of their profits. That requires capital. If they bought their food as the small breeder buys his. some of them would make little or no profit. But for every paying flock of L000 [ believe that flocks one half, or less, as large that are paying a larger net sum could be found. There is perhaps no business that can be studied so closely and at so little expense prior to the time of actually embarking in it. With poultry a person can begin with a siuall capital and pay for his experience from his other source of income. He should not, and need not attempt to vet a large profit, or indeed any profit from his experimental flock. Thousands of people rush headlong into this business, invest all the money that they can get hold of in fancy stock snd all kinds of appliances and learn a little when it is too Jate. They all fail in their aims, and have no opportunity to learn much about lens. The beginning should be small, always. Growth should be gradual and depend upon accurate knowledge of what can reasonably be expect- ed. Asa veneral proposition the less aman knows about his hens and the results obtained from them the smaller will be the amount that he will acknowledge to be the cost of maintenance. iA man could devote his whole life in the attempt to find out how many hens there are inthe country, their average yield and cost, and lhe would get no reliable totals. The people who own the hens could not give information that they do not possess and, unfortunately, (hose who kuow are not whways worthy of credit. The census taker asks the farmer how many hens he has and the aver- ave farmer gives a euessed-at number or purposely underestimates through fear of Increased taxation,—even when told that his hens will not be taxed, There can be uo doulit that there is money in the poultry business and that the general and specific instruction given im the best poultry papers and books contains the general principles that contribute to SUCCESS, The business presents erent opportunities to those who have a ca- pacity for hard and lounge continued effort, and are willing to begin sinall and study faithfully, and postpone the necessity for protits until sufficient knowledge and skill are obtained to make profits reasonably certain. There is, apparently, a great and ever inereasing demand for good stock, Lt requires considerable experience and knowledge to he able THE QUESTION OF PROFITS 109 to tell what ix good stock.” Stock is not good, better, or best, uerely because we own it, or because it appears to be good to our unskilled judgment. One peculiar feature of this peculiar business is that experience can sometimes sell a bird for several dollars that is worth about cight cents per pound while inexperience is often obliged to send to market really valuable breeding cockerels; and he often fails to market. those early enough. It is one thing to produce. another thing to sell at a profit. The ef- fect of competition, while healthful in the main, is to block our attempts to sell our goods at a profit. The shoemaker will agitate the question of shorter days and higher wages and then try his best to beat down the price when he buys a pair of shoes, It is the same with all products. Complex and unreasonable human natures make all problems of profit in business complex and difficult of solution. The demand for poultry and eges is, however, greater than the sup- ply; hence there is plenty of room and reward for industry, intelligence and capital in the business. There is an iminense difference between the methods of different suc- cesstul poultry keepers. T have in mind two cases that illustrate the point. A— keeps from 1000 to 1500 hens (mongrels) and one farm hand cares for them. They are fed cheap feed and every thing about the plant is cheap, vet a profit has been made for many years. A— is an exceptional man. What measure of success lie obtains is not due to his choice of stock and methods of maintaining it but in spite of them. ‘His own personal aptitude for making moucy is responsible for his profits. Being a modest man he thinks, of course, that they are due to his «‘prac- tical” methods. B— keeps 200 or 300 pure-blood birds in nice houses, uses the best of every thing in feeds and appliances, sells breeding stock and eggs for hatching, and makes a good profit. [Ie could not succeed by A—’s methods and A— could not succeed by his: vet each will tacitly con- demn the other's system and recommend his own, The whole matter of success lies in the men themselves and not in their peculiar methods or pet theories. Sometimes a successful man in explaining the +secret’? of his success will wander into romance and tell a pleasing story that ix largely made up of the things that le has often dreamed of doing, but rarely has done. Successful men have their dreams, but they do nof let the dreams in- terfere with present duties. When we arbitrarily dictate to (he poultry-beginner, tell him that he must do this and must not do that, there is danger of giving him advice 110 THE TRAP NEST TEXT BOOK that will do more harm than good: for the personal equation, which is the vreatest factor of all, is unknown to us and may not be at all adapt- ed to our favorite system and theories. Most of us have theories. To us they are facts. to others they are delusions. If T believed that fen per cent. of those who appear to be successful with poultry were as successful as they believe, or are willing that others should believe, Tinight look at this a little differently. Thave obtained a profit from hens when profit was the last thing thought of. but there would have been no profit had T adopted the pop- ular theories with whieh | am very familiar. A hen will eat a pound of food in from two to tive days according to the hen and her productiveness. Tlow much does our feed cost: per pound? How does it figure out for the vear? How many eges must she lay at market prices to pay for the food. interest on investinent, and our time? Any answer to the latter question must be modified by local conditions, but it will probably figure out about double the product of the average hen. There are three general ways of converting what is generally a losing proposition into an occasionally profitable one, First: keeping the amount invested in stock and equipment. and the cost of maintenance down to the lowest possible figure and marketing what product there is as favorably as is consistent with the general plan of the business. The welfare of the stock or the interests of the con- sumer, *ssentiment,” do not enter into such a proposition to a sufficient extent to occasion any outlay of money. A man with the faculty for making money without spending money often succeeds by this method. Such aman will sometimes provide his mongrel hens with a rotting pile of stable manure, renewed frequently, in which they revel in filth and sing contentedly. Tle boasts of his mongrel flock, their ege yield. and the low cost of maintenance = Much of the grain that the hens get is first passed through the other stock, so costs nothing.(?) He is welcome to his mongrel hen and her stinking flesh and eves. T want none of them. During eighteen years of city life 1 often found it difficult, a€ times, to get anything clse in the line of poultry and eges. Second: investing in a fairly good equipment, fairly good stock, and taking fairly good care of the stock; endeavoring to produce goods of a little better quality than the average. For such goods 2 bright person ean get a little better price. in time. than the average. [le will have to work to get it. People want the best. but they are not particularly anxious to pay more for it. Sometimes they will call at the door for fresh eges and complain because we charge sas much as they do at the store.” Third: investing every oblainable dollar in such a way as to make it varninoney. The more dollars the more money. ++Phem as has, its.” The cost of buildings, equipment. stock, feed. and labor is not. con- sidered only fo the extent that everything shall count toward obtaining desired results, The aim is to produce the very best quality of salable voods, in the greatest possible quanti(y for the size of the plant and the money expended. ‘Phe welfare of the stock and all who are concerned in itS maintenance is considered to be important as aaimenns to an end: as are also the interests of consumers who want good quality. and will pay for il. THE QUESTION OF PROFITS Lil exceptionally good stock, well fed and well cared for, will produce a profitable vield of eges., and a quality of meat and eves that are fit for haman consumption: which much of the stuff in every market is not. Every poultry paper or magazine that seeks to instruct its subscribers in the art of properly breeding and maintaining poultry ix a) public benefactor, and showld be universally recognized as such. Different methods of keeping hens represent different individual qual- ities in poultry keepers: for the man is always father to the method. Get anv method and ainan that fits it together and financial success will follow. The misfits will fail every time. As different men fit different methods so do different hens. Phe trap nest points out those hens that fit the man and his methods, Some people buy, at a big price. poultry appliances that cause much actual loss, and others that are of no practical use to thems vet other people may find those same appliances both useful and profitable, To wildly endorse. without good reason, every new idea, or to as wildly condemn it are essentially the same thing as far as the novice is concerned. One is as likely to mislead him as the other, I believe in’ cleanliness. comfort, convenience, and all improved inethods and appliances in so far as any individual can make then of profitable or pleasurable use. ATP such. when they are worthy. should be generaily recommended without regard to the amount of space that their promoters are able to buy in the advertising columns. T ain looking for poultry food of good quality, yet the Chemist-Writer who examines such foods and writes about them in a poultry paper can- not mention a good one by name --for it would be improper.” What folly! One would think that the man or firm who sells goods was a criminal who must be confined to the advertising columus for life and only allowed in sight of the public when he pays for the privelege. Then he can rob them ad libstran it he likes. We should not expect editors to discriminate between different arti- cles that are worthy but when a contributor finds that one firm's meat scraps are good he should be free to say so for the benetit of the one reader in a thousand that may want to know. Let some spiteful individual find fault with some specific article that is not advertised «over jts head” and he will be accorded a hearing in some mediums, benefiting no one and perhaps injuring many, The more diplomatic his language the more easily it will pass, and the more harm it will do. When a ian produces a strain of fowls. an individual bird, a food, a condition powder 2a louse destroyer. an appliance, or conceives an idew. that is superior or useful he ix ina position to benefit: his fellows and we should, ou general principles. credit him with honest aims until we find otherwise. It is quite rare that criticism does not diminish in proportion as the size of the ad.. or the amount of personal favor that the advertiser en- joys, increases This is Alividink universally recognized among our people to such an extent that honest: endorsements “and valuable and instructive “write ups” are condemned at sight by a large proportion of readers. The average subscriber to a poultry journal may bea child in poultry raising but he is nota child in other respects, One journal promises us all ‘that we ought to know? What is it that we ought not to know? Why should we not know it? 112 THE TRAP NEST TEXT BOOK There ix nothing known about poultry or the poultry business that should not be av ailable for every one who wants it and is willing to pay for it; he to be the sole judge. If he is not willing to pay for ‘it he is not entitled to it. These opinions are not from the advertiser's stand- point, for, as an advertiser the writer hax in most cases been treated courteously and generously. [an writing from the standpoint of « reader who wants to know and is obliged to grope in the dark for many things. Not only beginners. but experienced poultry keepers all over our land are maintaining hens that are not, and never will be profitable in their hands, Many of them waste money and time in the effort fo push the average production of the flock up to a protitable point, overworking the good layers and uxelessly urging the poor layers to do what thew are incapa- ble of doing. Again and again we are told -cull out the poor layers.” “deep only the profitable lens.”" The query, -‘How can [ distinguish the profitable hens?” is met with eyuivocal and yague references to stactive hens: «those with red combs ;’? «those that sing and hustle and cackle;” ‘those with long, deep bodies; and a Jot more qualities that are possessed by the major- ity of hens any way, whatever their laying ability may be. They al- Ways avoid the direct claim that all healthy, active hens are profitable layers, for we can prove otherwise; yet that is all that is left when their generalities are boiled down. Where in any history of human or animal pnaprovement can we find any proven precedents upon which to base the almost universal theory that great egg production in fowls is mainly a matter of feeding and care? We find the flock of heavy layers fed by a man who claims that his system is the main cause of the results. What are we to do with the other man who follows a system that is radically different. vet gets as good or better results than the former? With all thix we are more or less at seu. The inan who never got half eges enough, if sold at mar- ket prices, to pay for his feed may stoutly maintain that his hens are prolific layers. ' There is a tremendous lack of figures. of carefully Kept accounts showing results in this business. One man’s guess is about as good as another’s, take all guesses as they run. If we breed or buy hens that lay well under our system of feeding, it is because they have the inherent ability to lay well: bred into them somewhere, sometime, by someone. If this is not so, if it is alla matter of feed, then the poultryman with his 1000. 2000 or mere mongrels is the shrewd poultryman: for in many localities his mixed lots of eggs, all sizes. shapes and colors. han- dled as he handles them, pay him as well as would a more even lot ob- tained by other methods that would not fit him or his conditions. Some men claim to make money by buying cheap pullets in January or February, feeding them for eges until they begin to +shed"* in August or September and then selling them for as much or more than they cost. These men never batch a chiek and Keep no stock during fall and early winter. Another wity is (o buy cheap stock, leave food before them all ot the lime, market those who wet fator sick and sell the eges that are sure to be laid by the others, if the food supply contains anything to make THE QUESTION OF PROFITS 1138 them from. If we are to discount progressive methods we can take up some of these primitive ways of making poultry pay that are practiced all over the country, but are not reported in the papers. All systems of handling hens are good for those who are adapted to the system, if not for the consuming public. Some men make a good living buying eges and poultry as low as possible froin those who do not produce enough to ship away, sorting thei and selling at the best obtainable price. The producer keeps the hens and pays for the feed, the middleman takes whatever profit there is, in many cases. If poultry raising as a general proposition pays, where cloes the great demand for+>Red Albumen” and the other more popular nostrums to “Make hens Jay’ come from’? Certainly not from those who know their hens and get v market profit from them. To me the condition appears to be one of generally unprofitable main- tenance of stock incapable of profitable production, by people who are indifferent or believe in false theories regarding the hen and her product. The advertising page and the circular take advantage of the condition us it is and work the poultry raiser for all he is worth. The best poultry papers and magazines appear to be endeavoring, to the extent of their light, to improve this condition and teach the truth. They should never be denied a favorable mailing rate, for, with all their conflicting theories and chaotic mixture of interests they are helping us to an understanding of poultry and the poultry business and materially assisting the general public, the consumer, to get poultry and eggs that. are fit for human food. A consideration of the poultry press is intimately associated with the question of profit and progress with poultry. The individual poultry journal reflects the personalitv—the character and understanding—of its promoters and its editorial staff. The poultry press as a whole shows clearly to the earnest student the state of the industry. Some of these periodicals appear to be founded upon a base of ignorance, personal pre- judice and vreed, and unprincipled demagoyism, If the writer’s view of the average reader is anywhere near correct such papers cannot long endure. The paper that in the slightest degree appears to cater to the natural dishonesty and selfishness of wh * fav mistakenly believe to bea large proportion of its readers must in time disgust even that class. Whatever our own business practices and theories may be we all respect straightforward honesty even though it be opposed to our own selfish interests. ; Thoughtful readers of high class periodicals such as The Scientific American, The Outlook. Success, The Youth's Companion, and the like will, if interested in poultry (and thonsands of them are) welcome to their homes those poultry journals that combine with a broad understand- ing of the industry an honest desire to uplift it “with charity for all and malice toward none.” The combative attitude of ignorance and selfishness toward science. invention, investigation, or an endeavor to improve in any direction, cannot receive even the tacit sympathy of a journal without such sympathy being clearly reflected in its columus, by omission as well as commission. It is a mistake to assume that the poultry raisers in our rural com- munities, villages and city suburbs are mainly ignorant people. If we 114 THK TRAP NEST TEXT BOOK are to assume that. we must at the sume time grant that poultry raising presents no better industrial opportunities for the individual than the digging of ditches or the cutting of wood. ; ‘Any literature, industrial or otherwise, that las any valid excuse for existing, other than the mere wetting of money, should present things as they are without regard to what the ignorant or selfish reader imagines or desires them to be. Not only are the low-grade poultry papers misleading and harmful to what few ‘‘actual paid in advance sabscribers’’ they may have, but they are of little use to the honest advertiser of worthy goods. Either a trial with «-keyved” ads. or a careful study of their colummes for a year or two will prove this to be xo. The contributor whose knowledge of the equities of life is inadequate to dominate his or her crude notions of business or hens often finds space available in some papers that evidently have little use for a waste basket. The journal that works harder to vet advertisers than subscribers is of no particular use to either advertisers or subscribers. The only mediums that can ussist us to get knowledge, pleasure or profit from anything are those that furnish a quality of reading matter that is worth reading, even if they have to pay tor it, and have a list of patrons that read what they have paid to get. The comparisons of breeds which we mect are often productive of much perplexity and misunderstanding. A— has tried a few hens of several breeds and has decided what shall be the best breed.” 13———— examines a few hens on his own account and gives expert evidence that he has found ‘the best breed.’ (‘_——-. js hunting for «+the best breed** among several millions of hens, no two of which are alike, and as lone as he believes that the excessive- ly limited observations of A———— or B —---— would shed the slightest ray of light upon the matter he is likely to keep on hunting to the end of the chapter. AID poultry-qualities are not included in the requirements of the Standard of Perfection or discernible by the skilled eye of the judge. The practice of conflicting systems of breeding pure-blood towls by people with all kinds of ideas and standards of merit, and the distribu- wea ¢ cis blood all over the land indiscriminately. producing mixture upon mixture without guide or reason, should show anyone that there can be no uniformity of utility qualities in any breed, considered broad- ly as a breed. A nan’s chances of establishing a family of exceptional layers ought to be just as good. if not better, with the Asiaties or Americans as with the Mediterrancans. if he goes about it in the right way. It is probable that there is more Mediterranean blood in the country than any other pure-blood. which would of itself be sufticient to account for any popular theory of supremacy in laying qualities that may obtain, even if no logical reason for the theory existed. Some breeds possess qualities as breeds that adapt them to conditions that would not be as favorable fo other breeds. The smne appears to be true of fumilies or ostrains” within breeds. The glowing Gributes to this, that, or the other breed of fowls that we commonly encounter are excessively general im character. + They are splendid Javers.” | Plow tnueh of a dayer must a hen, be to be mn eexplendid’ dayer? Thirty-six cgesx per spring-fime-hatching-season, SOMETHING ABOUT PATENTS 115 at two dollars per setting, or fifteen dozen per annum at an average of tweny-tive cents per dozen? The words »-splendid.” s-vood,”" great,’ “fine,” --better,’ “best” etc. are capable of many specitic meanings according to our point of view. The student should not be misled by the glittering optimism of the poultry journals and show rooms, It is all right enough as a vent for self-interested enthusiasin, but disappears in vapor under close examination. ‘The compounding of «scientitie’ rations, the devising of new and improved poultry houses and fixtures. the natural beauty of pure-bred fowls, the cheerful rivalry and the incentives to effort produced by the poultry shows, and a natural love tor animals. all contribute to awaken and maintain an interest in poultry. When the interest is sufficiently supported by hard work, money and ability, progress is sure to be made whatever the ain—even to the extent of protit—but the success is due to an intelligent working interest in good stock. It is not neces- sarily due to the particular ration employed or the expensive or unnecessary equipment or methods. It is perfectly possible to get a good eve vield while paving more for the eges than they are worth, This fact is recognized by those who sincerely believe that trap nests cannot be profitably used by the aver- age poultry raiser. | believe that they understand the average poultry raiser better than they do the practical trap nest, its proper use and possibilities. [have saved time and money enough many times over by avoiding unnecessary but commonly-employed and -recommened methods and expenditures to offset the keeping of my individual records. The attention of the nests has not yet appeared to me a very arduons undertaking and I shall be unable to reckon that factor at all untill learn of some reason why T should. A few drones sent to market, that would be retained were it not for the nests, pays for the nests. If they are kept instead of being sold it is no fault of the nests. When the user becomes skillful in recognizing the persistent-laying habit and the different individual tendencies of his birds, and abandons whatever previous theories he may have had that blind his eyes to plain facts he will be able to cull wisely and often, retaining the cream of his flock while marketing the others. No man can dispute the logic of getting rid of every bird that cannot be profitably retained. just as soon as its unprofitableness ix determined or its self-limited profitableness has ceased, and retaining every bird as long as it is profitable to do so, be if six mouths or five years. Trap-nest experien ¢ will enable the poultry keeper to do just that and help to solve the question of profits. CHAPTER XII. SOMETHING ABOUT PATENTS. The golden rule of invention: Find out what has been done, keep track of what is being done, learn what needs to be done, and then do 7¢. ‘ HE United States has advanced materially beyond all other countries becatse it has welcomed invention, encouraged and protected inventors by the best patent system on earth, and hailed as a 116 THE (RAP NEST TEXT BOOK public boon every new and betier way of doing an old thing. ; Perhaps | can best describe to the reader what our patent system ix designed to be by first explaining what an inventor is. Any person is an inventor who devises a new thing or tinds anew use for an old thing. Tt this new thing or the new use for an old thing is uxeful—of utility and value to others—they ought to have the use of it, and derive the benefits to be obtained froin ifs use. Here is where the patent system comes in, The Government employs trained experts to determine if inventions subimitied to them are new and useful. These experts being human beings like the rest of us are not infallible, but they know quite a good deal ubout their business. What they don’t know your lawyer, or iny Jawyer, or someone else’s lawyer tells them1,—sometimes, when it becomes uecessary, It is not for vou or I to tell them their business or question their decisions unless we have a personal interest in the matter and know more about it than they do—quite possible. When the patent office experts have searched all of the records and find that what the inventor claims to be original with him has never before been described, cither in this or any other country, and there is no evidence of its being known to the public for more than two years prior to the application, and it appears to be of public utility, they grant that the invention is the property of the man who invented it and, being his property, he shall have exclusive control of it for a term of seventeen years. After that it becomes the property of the public; for it is presumed that the inventor, or someone who has purchased his patent rights las succeeded in getting it into use and has obtained his reward, In this way our. patent system accomplishes two things. It grants the right of the inventor to own and control his own property so that by selling it in whole or in part, or by letting it out for rent in whole or in part he can stand some chance of vetting paid for his labor and also be able to make his invention of use to others. The inventor or his assigns are obliged to advertise the invention, or the goods that are made with the invention, or the benefits that the people can obtain from the invention, in order to get his pay. That lets the people know about the new thing and they can purchase that which is designed to be of use to thein. Some people do not like the patent system for the reason that they ave selfish and do not believe in justice, Justice does not ask us what we want, but seeks to give all of us what belongs to us, and protect us in its posession. Justice is well represented as being blindfolded. ‘Phat is why she sometimes fails to connect with the right owner, It is a popular delusion that we can rightfully make a patented device for our use Without asking anyone or paying anything for it. Shyster lawyers sometimes foster such a notion in the hope that they may geta chance to defend the infringer ina suit at law. THe gets his pay, win or loose. No ove ean legally mrtke ov use any kind of a pat- ented invention except by means provided and controlled by law and the owner of the patent. The patent system, directly and indirectly, has done move to promote our progress in every direction than all other causes combined, : Agriculture has been benefited wonderfully as a result of our patent Jaws, Dishonest schermers have made popular ignorance and popular SOMETIING ABOUT PATENTS 17 greed and selfishness a means of perpetrating fraud under he euise of patents. Inventors who have been granted patents for inventions are quite frequently as ignorant of patent law as are the people. If we question a man who has become rich out of some patent he may swell up and tell us that he knows all about patents when he knows very little about them. He may have become rich by owning a patent or by stealing one. Some look with distavor upon patent ownership because they think that were it not for that they could reccive the benefits from the patent without paying tor them. We have a good chance right here in this book to examine that idea. A tew years ago there did not exist on the face of the earth such a thing as the trap nest described herein. It isa case of a ‘new thing under the sun,” unless proven, in the courts provided for the purpose, to be an old one. Now how would the reader have ever heard of it if I had not spent my good money to advertise it? Wry should I do that if not to make something so that I can advertise it some more, and make it of use to a lot more people? Sometimes people say, «- Well, I will make it a little different that will be all right.” Now that has no bearing whatever. We cannot tell by looking at a patented thing what the inventor’s rights in it are based upon. : Another thing that is not commonly understood is the matter of im- provements on patented things. A change in the appearance, the form or the working of a thing does not constitute improvement unless the change creates greater efficiency or utility in some direction favorable to the public. It must be in fact an improvement that expert opinion will recognize as such. An im- provement even if a patent is obtained for it does not grant the right to use any previously patented feature of the device. For this reason it is the rule to either sel] such an improvement to the owner of the patented device or purchase from him the right to use his part of the improved thing. He can grant such use or not, as he likes. Those who would dabble in invention with a view to the obtaining of a patent or avoid- ing infringement upon the rights of others should consulta regular patent lawyer of good repute. That reminds me of a story. It is said that an old lawyer by the name of John Strange was about to die. He was consulted in regard to his epitaph. He requested that the stone be incribed ‘Here lies an honest lawyer.’ Asked if that was all he replied «‘That is enough.” ‘««Why! your name must be added,” his wife said. +*No™ he replied, “when they read that they will say: ‘Here lies an honest lawyer, that is Strange!’ Now I don't know if the point is in the ‘honest lawyer” or in the idea that a lawyer could lie in death as well as in life. The reader can judge. The Patent Office publishes a Gazette that illustrates all patents and gives the claims upon which the rights of the inventor are based. This Gazette is published for the benefit of the public and shows them what thev cauiot make or use except by consent of the owner. The inter- pretation of patent claims is work for which patent lawyers and experts only are qualified. The description of the patent and its illustrations describe the invention so clearly that, at the expiration of the time limit of the patent, those who are skilled in the art to which it applies 118 THE TRAP NEST TEXT BOOK can make it. When a picture of a patented device is published with the statement that it is patented intentionally omitted we are justified in concluding that contributory infringement is intended. Innocent people might infringe the patent not knowing that it belonged to another. There is no reason for the air of mystery that the people themselves have hedged about the subject of patents, except the reason that so many prefer to guess about things than make a little effort to get the tacts. Every citizen should be interested in our patent system. [t not only confers great benefits upon all of us. but any person has a chance to benefit himself and the people by devising some new and useful thing and getting it patented. SOME AMERICANS HAVE NOT DISCOVERED IT YET. Scientific American says that some three years ago the Japanese govern- ment sent to this country a certain Mr. Takahashi to study our patent system. Mr. Takahashi pays a glowing tribute to the American system. “We saw the United States not much more than one hundred years old,”’ he said, ‘‘and we asked, ‘what is it that makes the United States such a great nation?’ We investigated, and found it was patents, and so we will have patents.’’ CONCLUSION. Let all the considerate people have their way and see how they will come out. Carlyle. “When a man is always striving just to please others he lacks the moral courage to do right.” It is a difficult matter to draw this text book to a close, there is so much that remains to be said in the interest of the persistent layer and her owner. It was not without due consideration that | have introduced exam- ples of good results that many people will find it impossible to believe if they chance to read them. Poultry keepers of the old school haye persisted in the declaration that hens would lay well without the ex- cessively careful methods of feeding and care that are generally advocated in our poultry literature. Many of them absolutely refuse to read such literature, becruse they find so much that they know is not true; this added to what they imagine is not true causes them to discredit the whole thing. It has suited my purpose to look into the matter somewhat with a view to finding out at least a part of the exact truth. The facts are, as nearly as IT can vet determine, that the persistent layer will lay a great many eges wader apparently wifavorable conditions. She is likely to be found almost anywhere. It does not appear to be a question of breed, The skeptical farmer probably does not always possess such good hens, or get as many eves. or as much profit. as he sometimes tries to make us believe. He is offen a cheerful guesser, and is skilled in the art of verbal self-defense. The poultry writers whom he discredits with good reason cxageerate the value of their favorite breeds, foods. and practices, in connection with good laying and profits from good layers, The truth seems to lie between these two extremes. The flock that contains a cousiderable number of vigorous, healthy hens that possess a strong ege-producing tendency is likely to lay profitably. from a market- CONCLUSION 119 cv standpoint, under conditions that to many people would seem to be very unfavorable. The flock of common-place layers—hens whose egy producing ten- dencies are no stronger than other tendencies that interrupt or interfere with egg production may be coaxed to lay—by careful housing, feeding and care -well cnough to pay a good profit when a considerable part of the eggs are sold for hatching, and stock is sold for breeding. When the flock of exceptionally strong Jayers can be given exception- ally good care there may be an exceptionally large egg yield. The profits would, as in all other cases, depend upon the factors outlined under the heading «The Question of Profits’* in this book. Such books as “Pocitry Crarr,” “Winrer Eoaas axp How to Get THem.”’ “ALL Anoutr Broiers,” and some others, treat of tech- nical work with poultry from the standpoint of practical workers. These books do not contain all that there is to know about poultry maintenance or breeding; for the reason that no one individual or combination of individuals have yet learned all that there is to know about poultry. The authorship of the books that I have mentioned is an absolute guarantee that they contain valuable and practical information. Our poultry papers and magazines periodically bring to the reader both old and new facts, old and new theories, current poultry news and gossip, and a general syinposium of the good, bad and indifferent methods and ideas of a Jarge number of writers, and an occasional mimic. Some of these writers are similar to the politicians whom Thomas B. Reed described in the mot: “‘Every time they open their mouths they subtract from the swm of human knowledge.’’ We are, of course, all aware of the truth contained in the statement of Bulwer: ‘He that fancies himself very. enlightened, because he sees the deficiencies of others, may be very ignorant, because he has not studied his own.” The poultry keeper who is searching for truth will be sorely perplexed by the mixture of conflicting testimony that will confront him which- ever way he turns. He should not be deceived by the personality of the writer or speaker. Some of the most harmful and serious errors being promulgated to-day are fostered by people who have some handle or other to their name, or a skill in the use of language and the further- ance of their own personal interests that gives them the appearance of wisdom and sincerity. Some of the strongest poultry-facts are presented in our periodicals by people of hwuble station whose work is rude but helpful. ; On the other hand those people, high or low, who are ignorant of the moral ethics of business and life, or for personal reasons choose to ignore them, are continually fostering wrong ideas in the minds of the people. The person who needs or wants anything about which he has no special knowledge is between the devil who wants his money and the deep sea of going without what he needs or wants. He should be will- ing to buy what he wants. He should not expect his favorite paper or magazine to furnish it at the expense of those who are, or nay be, able to supply him through a regular commercial transaction. ‘Lhe journal already wives the subscriber much more than he, or it, pays for... What he desires generally exists and can be easily obtained at a price that in- tormed people know to be a just price,—but where? : He docs not know, and those who do know generally will not, and 120 THE TRAP NEST TEXT BOOK very often feel that they should not tell him. If they do tell him, their sincerity and disinterestedness may be doubted. Germany has a law that forbids an advertiser lying or appearing to lie in his advertising. The exact truth may be barred unless it be self- evident, “The best in the world,” even if true, ax it quite frequently must be, wil] not pass the censor. Some enterprising American Manufacturers are said to have been un- able to circulate their expensive and convincing literature in Germany for thatreason. We have no such law here. This is afree country. | have before me the literature advertising two brooders. One I know to be a good one, the other has not a single feature that would recom- mend it to any person who knew any thing about brooders. It is an expensive, worthless contraption, from my point of view, yet its claims, advertising and illustrations are the most pleasing of the two—to in- experience. There is a great difference in the character of the testimonials, how- ever. Most people are sufficiently doubtful. Too much xo as a rule. In talking with people about commercial products in general I find a com- mon tendency to doubt about everythiug that is true and useful—and costs something. The love of money appears to be the root of much ignorance as well as evil. On the other hand many will swallow the most absurd proposition, bait, hook, line and bob, and gleefully pay the price. The fact that such a large part of our population is of this class accounts for the very condition of things that I ain describing. They apparently have no use for honest business men or methods. In all comparisons of appliances, breeds, foods or whatnot, the poultry keeper is up against this condition and he should know it at the start. The only thing for him to do is to think, reason, .and learn as much as possible from the disinterested opinions of others, if he can find such. The man who has his own bigotry. prejudices, or past opinions to sus- tain is not a disinterested adviser. There are a vreat many honest men selling goods. There are a thousand dishonest men among buyers to one among sellers. Twenty-five years of intimate observation of a mail-order business that dealt with people in various parts of the world has given me some idea of human nature. The poultry keeper who advertises stock or eges has got to beware of the crafty buyer. A large per cent. of the dissatistied customers of mail-order business qnen are those who tried to cheat the seller and failed. We run more risk when scnding goods to strangers in advance of payment than we do when paying for goods before we get them, yet many very good people don’t sec to realize it. The idea that the poultry business is a short and easy road to wealth is not quite as common as if used to be, yet the old pipe dreams are sometimes resurrected and the vietim’s money distributed areund,. Colone] Seller's areuiment that there must be ssmillions init.” becanse every one has sore eyes and would buy a bottle of his eye wash at BLO per. is not valid in the poultry business. Every one docs not want faney poultry or faney eves, and all of those who do will not buy ours. even if a fortune spent inadvertising happens to attract their attention. Some people assume that the majority of poultry keepers are simple- CONCLUSION 121 minded people who could not understand the truth even if it came to them through the mail, The majority of poultry keepers who are looking for instruction are bright, intelligent people and have wit enough and education enough ‘o understand anything that seriously interests them, if it be presented fairly without cireumlocution and evasion. There is nothing any more inysterious about a hen and her performance than there is about any other members of the animal kingdom and their functions. The air of mystery has heen maintained because it paid, and because the hen has not been generally studied as an individual. * * * * * We cannot keep poultry or cugage in any business or pursuit in- telligently unless we start right. Our thinking and our work must be founded upon the bed rock of fart, not the shifting sands of superstition, popular misinformation and commercial humbug. Any degree of merit in our fowls begins with the ege. Just as worthless a chick (to us) can emanate from a fifty-rent egg as from a one-cent egy. Yet it pays to get high priced cges when we know just what we want, and have reason to believe that our chances for getting some of it are contained in those particular egyx. Jf the mysterious principle that determines future excelleuce in any direction is not present in the vitalized germ of the ege that is to produce the chick no method of feeding or care ever devised will cause the resultant life to be of genuine value. No matter how good the breeding may be it will all come to naught unless the chick is enabled to grow and develop sufficiently well to prove its breeding. At this point we tind one of the greatest bugaboos of the whole Dbusi- ness. Being bred right the chick must be hatched right and provided with suitable food and care. All of these factors combined deterinine the extent of future excellence: no single one can be credited with all of the success and not always with failure. Yet how common it is to select a single element upon which to bestow the whole credit or blame, as the case may come out. Usually that which we purchased is con- demned when results are bad, and that which we ourselves provide is held blaineless. To my way of looking al things many muchwecomnicended methods of . poultry maintenance have evolved froin a general attempt to get good results from ill-begotten, or poorly-hatched or -grown stock. Too many hens give grand results in egg production under conditions that many suppose to be wholly bad, for this point to be ignored. While it is apparently true that egg production is often controlled by agencies that are not yet fully understood, it also seems to be true that a hen with a bred-in-the-bone ege producing tendency will give a more profit- wble egg yield under ordinary conditions of maintenance than the ordinary layer can possibly do under the most approved scientific methods. What are we to say of the pullets hatched in June and not removed from their out-door brooders until November: crowded, always in the way, forty of them wintered in a shed 11x12 and roosting room 11x6, some of them laying over 200 eges each before they were eighteen months old?) We know that this is a bad and a risky way to raise chickens, but we also know that these chicks were well hatched from eves laid by healthy, vigorous hens with a known, individual, persistent- laying habit, at a time favorable for strong prepotent fertility. That is Ieee THE TRAP NEST TEXT BOOK the greater half of the battle. These hens were no better than diundreds of thousands of hens; not nearly as good as many, probably. Why should they be? All the good layers ‘that use trap nests and prove their worth to their owner are called “exceptional hens.” It is far more reasonable to infer that those owners who know which are their best layers and breed froin them are exceptional poultry keepers. ‘Good methods of maintenance should follow vood breeding, but they can never, only to a a limited degree, offset bad breeding. We will never vet good results from hens that are inherently unable to give good feailin. Suitable methods of feeding and care encble our hens to respond to their own individual egg- -producing inclinations; they do not wahe them lay. The feeding and housing of poultry, or their general maintenance, can never by any possibility appear in the same light to large numbers ot breeders. No one xct rule in these matters would work the same with different flocks. It is, therefore, impossible that any one method of feeding and care, however good it may be, can ever obtain-a sufficiently general adoption to greatly ‘benefit the ‘industr vy. (rood breeding proves itself under many widely differing svsteins of maintenance ; but rational systems of maintenance rarely, if ever, prove anything but the breeding. Certain methods of breeding practiced along the same general lines— not specifically the same,—bv inany breeders having practically the same aims have established the general Standard qualities of our leading breeds and improved them to a degree that probably was not dreamed of two generations avo. There is no evidence that such a course has ever been pursued with the utility qualities kept to the front. Observation hax been the only means generally employed for selection, and observation is powerless to discover and keep track of the best layers, except with a few fowls viven a great deal of attention. Large numbers of birds are of great advantage to any breeder who has room and time for them, as they give him a large field for selection. This is so true that expert selection for the show room often wins the ribbons away from the expert breeding that actually produces superior average merit. This principle is as true with utility as with fancy points. There ix no available evidence that proves that the average pure-blood hen lays any better than the average mongrel under similar conditions, Our not wanting this to be true will not change the present facts in the matter. A comparison of pure- and mongrel-blood sufficient to dis- prove this would also require proof that the specimens tested fairly represented the average of each class. Uniformity ef performance can never be obtained and maintained with impure blood: if it has vet been reached with pure blood the cases are probably rare. It can only be determined by the individual record. It would seem from the general view that there is plenty of room for improvement in the utility qualities of any of our popular breeds with- out permanently sacrificing any rational Standard qualities. Those who will start with the best Mandard blood that they can get, cull closely, with utility always to the fore, ruthlessly discarding heavy laying on high scoring specimens when they are unsuitable for the breeding pen, never inbreeding closer than is consistent with constitu- tional vigor, aud never introducing new blood unless it is known to be in harmony with the end in eiciej—those who will pursue such a course CONCLUSION 123 with the lively, intelligent interest and persistence that has characterized the work of thousands of fanciers who aimed at the blue ribbons will do what few have yet done and should achieve what has seldom been achieved. When improvement is once started along lines that become yenerally recognized as correet it expands and grows with ever increas- ing’ rapidity throush the distribution of improved blood throughout the land. There are many fanciers and many farmers who actually do not know what. a good egg yield is; and, furthermore, many of them do not care. Of all poultry breeders the fancier should possess the highest standard of egg production. for the established Standard-bred bird presents the surest and the shortest route to prolificacy. Early in the game To became convinced that the practice of keeping hens in small flocks. devoting more time and money in caring for them than they were possibly worth, in order to force or coux them to the limit of their capacity for egg production solely to get 200-ege hens to to use in the breeding pen, wax a great mistake. It is theoretically and practically wrong. If a bird is able to lay 200 eves in one vear that should suffice without. using force to compel her or coddling to coax her to prove it to the limit of her vitality. It is often far more wise tu hold her back. When the experts rose up and declared that we could not tell if the hen was able until she did it they unwittingly exposed the utter fallacy of the observation theory upon which the whole matter has rested from time immemorial. Large flocks of cheap hens have laid profitably within range of my observation for many years. Similar flocks no doubt exist all over the land. Their owners neither read, nor contribute to the poultry press. These are not the exceptional flocks. The flocks that we read about are the ones that are exceptional. for the reason that written-up flocks, good or bad. are a small part of the whole number of flocks that exist. The 200-ceg hen as an individual can be no new thing. She has been here all the time. She wears the patchw ork coat of the mongrel and the fine raiment of the prize-winner. Fine clothes do not make ther man nor fine feathers the hen. yet both contribute to an appearance of merit. The discovery of the 200-cee hen is what is new to an ever increasing number of poultry keepers. Like political capital they are being pro- duced unknowinely all of the time by already established factors. The reason that the average production with well-cared-for flocks i> commonly xo low is that so many poor layers and ordinary layers are re- tained in service. Suppose we have several pens of fowls of twelve females each. (ie pen averages 150 eggs per hen in nine months. If we have individual records of all of the females in all the pens. and select from the records of the whole lot the twelve heaviest layers. and quote an average of 225 eges each we would be criticised because the twelve birds were not all in one pen. But what sense would there be in such a criticism? One hen or any number of hens are entitled to credit for what they do individually. If they do good work handicapped by unworthy assoc lates and unfavorable conditions their value is emphasized and they should [24 THE TRAP NEST TEXT BOOK be more entitled to credit. We are obliged to treat a flock as 4 unit in many respects. but the flock is nota unit. It is a number of in- dividuals differing from cach other in specific merit. No man denies that one flock of hens will average a great any more eyes than another flock of equal size and maintained equally as well. his of itself, with no other evidence, shows that the same differences in performance may exist between individuals in the same flock. What this reasoning suggests the individual record proves, thus es- tablishing the fuet beyond question. * # * * * One condition that makes it so difficult for the poultry student to get exact information is due to a peculiarity of the American people. We are great experimenters. Every Tom, Dick and Harry is an original genius—in his own mind. We read, study, think and experiment superficially ; or deliberately copy froin someone else, thinking that the country is so large it will never be found out. This is a big country geographically, but electricity and steam bring us pretty close together after all. Our markets are glutted with incomplete inventions and compounds: our patent office shelves are groaning under a load of experimental folly; our people make experiments and draw conclusions therefrom when the nature of the experiment precludes any possibility of its prov- ing anything but iis own weakness. Some of our writers in all Kinds of literature are continually discover- ing something new to them, but obsolete to the informed, and burst out with a lot of old misinformation dressed in new garments. The history of the trap-nest idea is replete with illustrations of this practice. The advertising and press notices of the pioneer promoter of a record nest stimulated imitation, investigation, theft, and honest invention, just the same as do all successes, or apparent successes, The crudest nest trap is a wonderful thing to the enthusiastic poultry keeper who tries it for the first time, and a very unpracticable thing to experience. So those first crude traps and their later imitations, now obsolete as far as practical trap-nest Work is concerned, are still pro- ducing misinformation regarding the trap-nest idea that varies in character according to the point of view of the observer. One prominent writer wrote a very wise criticism of trap nests in general. Te had never had the opportunity to sce or use a practical (rap-nest equipment, cand he had never seen any one who had. Thus itis that premature wisdom makes itself utterly absurd at times. People are likely to endorse or condemn what does not exist if they mimic all they read or hear. CONCLUSION 125 A few letters or conversations reporting smoke have cansed some people to imagine that the world was on fire and they lave sought to quell the conflagration with printer’s ink. Those who desire to post themselves regarding the actual trap-nest. situation will have to spend more time and money in research than most of the critics have yet shown evidence of having done. One of our very best and most practical poultry editors’ has had an especially favorable opportunity to judge of the working of some unpractical trap-nest equipments and methods, and his very moderate and con- servative opinions regarding the general adoption of the trap-nest idea are well justified from his point of view. Those who have the legitimate interests of any industry at heart should consider that the prospect of commercial success is generally the in- centive that leads to improvement in any direction. The more successful the undertaking becomes, financially considered, the more wide spread will be the benefits, and the more rapid will be the progress jnade. The attitude of the industrial press toward inventions, the patent system, and the interests of honorable commercial effort—pre-ent or possible— in general, gives u vood forecast of the probabilities of success for any proposed improvement. Commercial failure never proves lack of merit, even when it clearly accompanies it. ‘Lhe right thing must be advanced at the right time in the right way in order to be successful. New things do not flash upon the world in a full burst of success at once. They are opposed by all sorts of conditions, most of which are wholly out of the view or possible Knowledge of any but those most in- timately interested. In estimating the ielation of the individual system to time and money we should study each element of the system separately and understandingly. Tf an insufficient number of nests are installed the necessity for very frequent attention is an indication that more nests should be put in. If the nests are so designed that it takes considerable time to remove a hen and prepare the trap for another it shows a specific defect that should not be charged to the fundamental trap-nest idea. If the system of keeping the records is cluinsy and takes too much time a more simple and practical plan should be sought. If at first we are slow in handling the hens aud the nests and recording the data we should consider that practice will enable us to work much faster in time. If by keeping individual records and basing our practice upon the information so obtained we increase our ege supply and diminish the number of unprofitable hens we should consider that the time and money commonly spent in hatching, rearing, housing, feeding and 126 THE TRAV NEST TEXT BOOK caring for unprofitable hens las been saved to the credit of our trap nests and records. Tf we will carefully note the condition of our hen~= as we handle them during the day when taken from the nests, we should consider that we are thus saved the necessity of looking them over at night after they have gone to roost: a time-consuming operation that is universally practised by careful poultrymen under the ordinary system, The question ix not how much time will it take to care for a certain ntunber of hens under this system, but how ean we best apply our time su as to get the best results. Hf 200 hens will lay 30,000 cges in one year it hardly seems reasonable that we can save time and money by housing, feeding and caring for 300 hens in order to get the same number of eges. We should consider that it is very difficult to get any reliable basis for judgment by comparing the methods aud results obtained by different operators. The man rather than the method imay be the determining factor. No man can justly compare the individual syste: with the common system of breeding and maintaining poultry until he become -familar with both systems. A practical trap-nest system given thorough and adequate trial is essential in order to obtain evidence of the comparative merits of the new and the old. The trap nest does not provide in easy way to keep hens for profit. Neither does anything else. There is no easy way. Successful poultry keeping under any system requires hard work and u careful attention to details. Trap nests are not essential to success. They contribute to success by making available information that can be obtained in no other way with large flocks, and not without more time- consuming labor with small flocks than would be necessary with them. I shall be glad to hear from any reader at any time in the interest of the persistent layer and her owner. If a reply is desired a self-addressed and stamped envelope should be inclosed unless the matter directly concerns the Ideal Nest or specialties. T have no incans of knowing how many practical nests exist. but 1 do know that a very few that are good are, or have been, to some extent commercially available. It is hoped that this text book will be found useful with any, should they be preferred to the Ideal. Tue exp. “Genius is two per cent. inspiration and ninety-cight per cent. perspiration.” Thomas A. Edison. THE OPTIMIST, SPRING 127 THE OPTIMIST, SPRING. A young ian returned home froma voyage about February 1, and began to brace up his father’s flock of hens. They had been neglected all winter and had not laid an cge. The son cleaned up the pen, put in scratching material, fed vegetable-, ineat and mash, and along toward the last of the month the hens were laying well. Boasting of Aés success with -‘the old inan’s hens’? to an old poultry keeper he was met with the cheerful statement: «Yes! good care is all right. but if T had hens that wouldn't lay now, anyway, I would cut their blained heads off.”’ Blessed spring-time. How it aids us to cherish our little conceits, shows how indispensible our favorite methods are, proves the worth of certain rations and substantiates the claims of the condition powder or ‘egg food,” and allows us at last to truthfully claim that our hens are ‘good layers.” With happy memories of spring kept fresh in our minds, how easy it is to ignore the other nine months in the year. All hail to the Optimist, Spring. 128 TAHLE OF CUNTINTS TABLE OF CONTENTS. CHAPTER I. INSTRUCTIONS FOR MAKING AND USING THE IDEAL TRAP NEST The Ideal Trap Nest Ventilation To Make the Attachment To put on the Attachment To Operate CHAPTER II. First Experiences Number of Nests Required The Location of the Nests in the Poultry House The Best Location Eggs Laid Outside the Nests CHAPTER III. The Best Style of Nest to Use One or Two Compartments; Which? The Care of the Nests Collecting Eggs Record Keeping Using the Nests Open Brief Pointers CHAPTER IV. Trap Nests vs. Observation Culling for profit CHAPTER V. Controlling the Brooding Habit Breaking Broody Hens Is Broodiness Opposed to Profitable Egg Production? Can a Hen Lay Two Eggs in one Day? CHAPTER VI. Fertility How Soon after Mating wat Fertility become Hetablished, aud How Long will Fertility Continue after Mating has Ceased? The Question Answered Causes of Failure with Incubators CHAPTER VIL. The Brown Egg. Origin of the Brown Fgg Fad What the Trap Nest Says Size of the Egg Explanation of the Terins “Litter” andl “Clutch” PAGE 12-40 I2 14 «14 15 Ly . 62 . 65 66 . 67 68 . 70 _7I TABLE OF CONTENTS 129 CHAPTER VIII. ’ Is it Advisable or Necessary to Force Egg Production epi Forcing Hens for Egg Production i ; : 2 73 Egg Production during Molt ; . 3 > ‘ 73 The ‘‘Rooster’”’ and the Trap Nest ‘ : : 2 296 Egg-eating Hens P r F ae) CHAPTER IX. Nature’s Secret Revealed to the Breeder : ‘ 78 Single vs. Multiple Mating ‘ ‘ , . 81 The Fallacy of the So-called Law of ‘Bere: ‘ ‘ ‘ . 82 The Fallacy of the ‘‘Egg-type’’ theory . 5 83 Individual Merit from the Standpoint of a Buyer . 84 A Prophecy ; 88 CHAPTER X. The Unreliability of the Common Method of Reckoning Averages Illustrated 5 gI Foods and Feeding g2 Early Maturity f 3 94 Meat or Eggs, Which? : : . 98 The Exceptional Hen 2. z . 100 Treatment of Sick Hens : 101 Practice vs. Theory. - 2 . zs 102 CHAPTER XI. The Question of Profits 2 105, CHAPTER XII. Something about Patents : : 115 Conclusion ‘ : 2 - - 118 . meee ER-DEAL THE IDEAL SPECIALTIES. THE TRAP NEST TEXT BOOK, By mail, postpaid, 75c. THE PLANS AND PERMIT FOR MAKING AND USING THE IDEAL TRAP NESTS AND ATTACHMENTS, Patented in the United States and Canada. BY MAIL POSTPAID, . . . . : $2.00 THE IDEAL TRAP ATTACHMENTS, (for those who prefer to buy them Ready-Made.) Can be applied to any suitable box, One Attachment for a model, with each set of plans, free by mail. One extra Attachment by mail, postpaid, F * 3 50c. Extra Attachments by express, charges paid by receiver, each, 25c, Twenty-five Attachments by express, 7 F $ $ 6.00 Fifty, oy eh SN a a - $43.00 One Hundred a we se ‘ - 5 $20.00 These Attachinents sold only to those who purchase the plans. They ave useless without then, THE IDEAL “SPECIAL” A model trap nest. A specially con- structed nest box, handsome in design and perfectly ventilated, combining in one nest all the most desirable features of trap nest construction. This model trap nest is not necessary in order to fit up from the PLANS, but is especially designed for those who want the best nest box for a raodel and are willing to pay for it. It costs a little more than some others, and is many times better. Made to order only. Sent by express, (cheaper than freight for small packages), charges paid by receiver. It does not weigh much, F + é 3 Price, $2.00 WITH THE PLANS AND PERMIT, when ordered at the “same time, - . é . i ‘ : ‘ $3.00 THE IDEAL SPECIALTIES (CONTIN CAD ).. The Ideal Monthly Egg Record Blanks Sample for 2¢ stamp. Anyone can make them for themselves, but some prefer to buy them. Each sheet contains space for a complete month’s individual egg record for twenty-five birds and remarks concerning their condition, feed, etc. Handsomely ruled and printed on good paper. PRICES GIVEN ON APPLICATION. State number required. Twelve sheets are sufficient for twenty-five birds one year. 7 Ideal Aluminum Leg Bands, Sample for 2 cent Stamp. These bands are obtained from the manu- facturerin the blank and are especially stamped for the trap nest user with numbers large enough is to be seen with the naked eye. Auy number or letters desired. All leg bands are claimed to ‘‘stay on,” and so they will, - until they come off. A lost leg band often means a lost egg record with the trap-nest user. After losing a great many bands of many different kinds,-over go out of 100 in two years, with one of the most popular bands on the market,-the Ideal Aluminum was thoroughly tested and adopted. It is the best band for the trap-nest user. It will stay on until purposely removed. The bird cannot get it off. These bands are light, handsome, (look like silver) easy to put on, easy to take off and easy to read. Prices upon application. ‘State Breed, num- ber for males and number for females. The more are ordered the cheaper they come. All About Broilers gy micuaev. woven = Second Edition Revised. Mr. Boyer has the reputation of being one of the leading au- thorities on these subjects. He believes that broiler raising in combination with other branches of Poultry farming is a profitable business, but as.an exclusive business it is risky. This book ex- plains why. ‘All About Broilers’ is written to show the novice just what todo and what not todo. The preface states that no theories are used, but every line is the record of experience. This book tells how to run incubators and brooders, how to fatten stock, how to feed laying stock, gives poultry house plans, etc. Itis a valuable book at the low price of 25 cents. ‘All About Broilers and Market Poultry Generally’ will be sent free with every order for Ideal Specialties to the amount of $3.00 or over, if this offer is mentioned when ordering. No mention, no book: Address all orders and correspondence to. F. 0. WELLCOME, varaoutiy maine: THE “Beauty and Business” & & SYSTEM OF »* # PEDIGREE RECORDS THE MOST COMPLETE, COMPACT AND CONVENIENT SYSTEM EVER DEVISED. AN INVALUABLE AID TO _ SCIENTIFIC BREEDING, WHETHER FANCY OR UTILITY. COMPLETE.--Toe marks, date hatched, sire, dam, weight at 3, 4, 5 and 6 months, leg band, date of first egg, fullege record, how mated or disposed of, etc.